The items in red are comments from
me!
*** w94 2/15, p 4 ***
*** w94 2/15, p 5 ***
Let’s take a look and see.
*** w94 2/15, p 6 ***
Yes, read their own literature
to see the instructions for Jehovah's Witnesses.
*** w94 2/15, p 24 ***
*** km 6/89 1-2 Enjoying Theocratic Association
***
The Society encourages all Jehovah's
Witnesses to have very little association with non JW neighbors, workmates,
schoolmates and relatives.
*** w94 2/15, p 7 ***
Yes their teachings are very different.
1. Zion’s
Wt,1/15/1892,pg1355reprint,... ”battle” is definitely
marked in Scripture as October, 1914.
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*** w94 2/15, p 7 ***
Idolization is directed toward the
Organization and the "Faithful & Discreet slave". See the quotes below:
*** w57 6/15, p 370 ***
*** w57 5/1, p 285 ***
*** w76 7/1, p 400 ***
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*** w94 2/15, p 7 ***
Can Jesus be our Mediator per the
Society?
*** w79 4/1, p 31 Questions from Readers ***
*** Worldwide Security 1986, p110 par13 The "Prince
of Peace" Turns to Those Outside the New Covenant ***
So the Anointed are rendering to
the other sheep instead of Jesus directly.
*** w89 8/15, p 31 Questions From Readers ***
More
information on the mediator
*** w94 2/15, p 7 ***
Let the Society tell you what they
want you to hear, don't take a peek at other publications.
*** w94 7/1, p 12 ***
** w94 7/1, p 12-13 ***
*** w67 6/1, p 338 ***
*** w83 1/15, p 27 ***
***Qualified to be Ministers 1955,pg156***
*** w52 2/1, p 79-80 ***
The other quotes in black
and blue are
from the WTBTS's publications.
The blue
quotes are highlighted for emphasis.
The language used in a joint resolution of the 100th
Congress of the State of Maryland, U.S.A., also conveys the derogatory
connotation of the term cult. The resolution states
that “a cult is a group or movement exhibiting excessive devotion to a
person or idea and employing unethically manipulative techniques of persuasion
and control to advance the goals of its leaders.”Clearly, cults are generally
understood to be religious groups with radical views and practices that
clash with what is accepted today as normal social behavior. Usually
they conduct their religious activities in secrecy. Many of these cultic
groups actually isolate themselves in communes. Their devotion to a self-proclaimed
human leader is likely to be unconditional and exclusive. Often
these leaders boast of having been divinely chosen or even of being themselves
divine in nature.
What about today? Would it be accurate
to refer to Jehovah’s Witnesses as a religious group with radical views
and practices that clash with what is accepted as normal social behavior?
Are Jehovah’s Witnesses a cult?
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Cult members often isolate themselves
from family, friends, and even society in general. Is that the case with
Jehovah’s Witnesses?
We must also be on guard against
extended association with worldly people. Perhaps it is a neighbor, a school
friend, a workmate, or a business associate. We may reason, ‘He respects
the Witnesses, he leads a clean life, and we do talk about the truth occasionally.’
Yet, the experience of others proves that in time we may even find ourselves
preferring such worldly company to that of a spiritual brother or sister.
WHOLESOME ASSOCIATION
5 One cannot walk with God while running in association
with those of the wicked and sick society that approves of everything that
God abhors. The Bible warns: “Bad associations spoil useful habits.” (1
Cor. 15:33) Some in the congregation may be inclined
to invite worldly acquaintances and unbelieving relatives who have no interest
in the truth to social gatherings, thinking that this will encourage them
to accept the truth. However, is this wise and in harmony with the Scriptures?
6 We have been counseled to be cautious in our dealings with men of the
nations, unbelievers, and ordinary persons. (See the November 15, 1988,
issue of The Watchtower, pages 15-16.) Why should we have unnecessary social
contact with people who still pursue worldly ways and who have not become
worshipers of Jehovah? (2 Cor. 6:14, 15) Some who are negligent
spiritually may seek out others who also hold on to worldly thinking and
ways instead of seeking association with mature Christians who could help
them become strong in the faith. They fail to appreciate
that attendance at social gatherings with worldly, unprincipled people
can weaken their faith and corrupt them.—Compare 2 Thessalonians
3:14, 15.
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Admittedly, the teachings of Jehovah’s
Witnesses are different from those provided by the churches.
Jehovah’s
Witnesses believe that Jehovah is the almighty God and that Jesus is his
Son, not part of a triune deity. Their faith is anchored in the belief
that God’s Kingdom alone can bring relief to suffering humanity.
They
warn people of the imminent destruction of this corrupt system of things.
They preach about God’s promise of an earthly paradise for obedient mankind.
They
do not venerate the cross. They do not celebrate Christmas. They believe
that the soul is mortal and that there is no hellfire. They will not eat
blood, nor will they accept blood transfusions. They abstain from involvement
in politics and participation in warfare. Have you ever asked yourself
why the teachings of Jehovah’s Witnesses are so different?
Yes they did warn people by predicting
the following dates as the battle of Armageddon.
2. The
Time is at Hand1908,pg43,44,.... the “battle of the
great day of God Almighty” (Rev.16:14)which will end in A.D. 1915, with
the complete overthrow of earth’s present rulership, is already commenced.
3. The
Finished Mystery 1917, pg 398,399,485........the
people who are the strength of Christendom shall be cut off in the brief
but terribly eventful period beginning in1918 A.D. A third part are “burned
with fire in the mist of the city.” .....After 1918 the people supporting
churchianity will cease to be its, supporters, be destroyed as adherents,...Also
in the year 1918, when God destroys the churches wholesale and the church
members by the millions....
4. Vindication
1, 1931,pg146,338,339,....years 1914,1918 and 1925
..... they also learned to quit fixing dates for the future and predicting
what would come to pass on certain dates....
5. Wt,9/15/41,pg288,...in
the remaining months before Armageddon.
6. Wt,5/1/68,pg273,
Chart of dates 1975 end of 6th 1000-year day...2975
end of 7th 1000-year day....
7. Aw,1/22/69,pg16,
Other Bible prophecies clearly fortell God’s purpose
to bring this wicked system to an end in a few years.
8. Aw,5/22/69,pg15,
If you are a young person, you also need to face
the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things.
.....all evidence in fullfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this
corrupt system is due to end in a few years. ....as a young person
you will never fullfill any career that this system offers. If you
are in high school and thinking about a college education, it means
at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years to graduate into a
specialized career. But where will this system of things be by that time?
It will be well on the way toward its finish, if not actually gone!
9. Wt,10/15/69,pg622,623,.....seventh
millennium from man’s creation by Jehovah God would begin in less
than ten years.
Who Is Their Leader? It is precisely because of this
close adherence to Bible teachings that the veneration and idolization
of human leaders so characteristic of cults today is not to be found among
Jehovah’s Witnesses.
It is vital that we appreciate
this fact and respond to the directions of the “slave” as we would to the
voice of God, because it is His provision.
16 With thankful hearts we acknowledge God’s mercy and
gratefully and willingly show our respect for Jehovah’s
organization, for she is our mother and the beloved wife of our heavenly
Father, Jehovah God.
Jehovah sees to it that all the
“sheep” are taught through his wifelike organization, their “mother,”
so
that they may have abundant peace and be firmly established in righteousness.—Isa.
54:13, 14; Gal. 4:26.
They reject the concept of a clergy-laity distinction.
The Encyclopedia of Religion aptly states about Jehovah’s Witnesses: “A
clergy class and distinctive titles are prohibited.” They
follow Jesus Christ as their Leader and as Head of the Christian congregation.
At a time when God was selecting those to be taken into
that new covenant, the apostle Paul wrote that Christ was the “one mediator
between God and men.” (1 Tim. 2:5) Reasonably Paul was here using the word
“mediator” in the same way he did the other five times, which occurred
before the writing of 1 Timothy 2:5, referring to those then being taken
into the new covenant for which Christ is “mediator.” So in this strict
Biblical sense Jesus is the “mediator” only for anointed
Christians.
And in our time, millions of the “other sheep” are already
benefiting from the ministry of the new covenant,
as rendered by the anointed remnantunder the Mediator, Jesus Christ.
The people of all nations who have the hope of everlasting
life on earth benefit even now from Jesus’ services.
Though he is not their legal Mediator, for they are not in the new
covenant, he is their means of approaching Jehovah.
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It is clear that Jehovah’s Witnesses are as far from
being a cult as Jesus was from being a glutton and a drunkard. Admittedly,
not everyone who was influenced by the false reports about Jesus and his
disciples fell into the trap of slandering him. Some
may simply have been misinformed. If you have questions about Jehovah’s
Witnesses and their beliefs, why not get to know them better? The
doors to their Kingdom Halls are wide open to all
who seek truth.
12 Yes, apostates publish literature that resorts to
distortions, half-truths, and outright falsehood. They even picket Witness
conventions, trying to trap the unwary. Hence, it
would be a dangerous thing to allow our curiosity to move us to feed on
such writings or to listen to their abusive speech! While we might not
think it a risk for us personally, the hazard remains. Why? For
one thing, some of the apostate literature presents falsehoods by means
of “smooth talk” and “counterfeit words.” (Romans 16:17, 18; 2 Peter 2:3)
What would you expect from the table of demons? And
while the apostates may also present certain facts, these are usually taken
out of context with the goal of drawing others away from the table of Jehovah.
All their writings simply criticize and tear down! Nothing is upbuilding.
As loyal servants of Jehovah, why
would we even want to peek at the propaganda put out by these rejecters
of Jehovah’s table who now verbally beat those who are helping us
take in “healthful words”?—2 Timothy 1:13. 15 Some may be inquisitive about
accusations that the apostates make. But we should take to heart the principle
at Deuteronomy 12:30, 31. Here Jehovah through Moses warned the Israelites
about what to avoid once they dispossessed the pagan inhabitants of the
Promised Land. “Watch out for yourself for fear you may be entrapped after
them, after they have been annihilated from before you, and for fear you
may inquire respecting their gods, saying, ‘How was it these nations used
to serve their gods? And I, yes, I, will do the same way.’ You must not
do that way to Jehovah your God.” Yes, Jehovah God knows how human curiosity
works. Remember Eve, and also Lot’s wife! (Luke 17:32; 1 Timothy 2:14)
Let
us never give ear to what the apostates are saying or doing. Rather,
let us be busy building people up and loyally feeding at the table of Jehovah!
But in Jehovah’s organization it
is not necessary to spend a lot of time and energy in research, for there
are brothers in the organization who are assigned to do that very thing,
to help you who do not have so much time for this, these preparing the
good material in The Watchtower and other publications of the Society.
Fight Against Independent Thinking
19 As we study the Bible we learn that Jehovah has always
guided his servants in an organized way. And just as in the first century
there was only one true Christian organization, so today Jehovah is using
only one organization. (Ephesians 4:4, 5; Matthew 24:45-47) Yet
there
are some who point out that the organization has had to make adjustments
before, and so they argue: “This shows that we have to make up our own
mind on what to believe.” This is independent thinking. Why is it so dangerous?
If we have love for Jehovah and
for the organization of his people we shall not be suspicious, but shall,
as the Bible says, ’believe all things,’ all the things that The Watchtower
brings out, in as much as it has been faithful in giving us knowledge
of God’s purposes.....
We should eat and digest and assimilate what is
set before us, without shying away from parts of the food because it may
not suit the fancy of our mental taste. The truths we are to publish are
the ones provided through the discreet-slave organization, not some personal
opinions contrary to what the slave has provided as timely food. Jehovah
and Christ direct and correct the slave as needed, not we as individuals.
If
we do not see a point at first we should keep trying to grasp it, rather
than opposing and rejecting it and presumptuously taking the position that
we are more likely to be right than the discreet slave. We should meekly
go along with the Lord’s theocratic organization and wait for further clarification,
rather than balk at the first mention of a thought unpalatable to us and
proceed to quibble and mouth our criticisms and opinions as though
they were worth more than the slave’s provision of spiritual food. Theocratic
ones will appreciate the Lord’s visible organization and not be so foolish
as to pit against Jehovah’s channel their own human
reasoning and sentiment and personal feelings.