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The Watchtower |
The Fallacy of The Watchtower Society & Illusionary thought of |
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Is God's Voice On Earth And Above Correction |
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Trapped In A Concept |
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Does this make the Governing Body of men who run the organization evil? A former Governing Body member relates: "My belief is that the fundamental evil lies in the concept of divinely ordained exclusive authority vested in the Watchtower Organization, along with the view that only by the exercise of such authority can unity, order and productivity be achieved. If not all, then certainly some of the men of the Governing Body have been victimized by that concept, entrapped by its appeal to fleshly thinking. The seductive deceptiveness of authority's appeal, however, does not free us from responsibility." (1) |
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Third Century Church |
Twentieth Century Watchtower Organization (ekklesia) |
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Historian Paul Johnson's Summary of Third Century Writer Cyprian And His View Of The Church |
Watchtower 2/1/52, pages 79-80 |
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| "Cyprian, reasoned as follows. The Church was a divine institution, the Bride of Christ; Mother Church,
the mediatrix of all salvation. It was one, undivided and catholic (universal). Only in association with here could
Catholics have life. Outside her holy fellowship there was nothing but error and darkness. The sacraments, Episcopal
ordination, the confession of faith, even the Bible itself, lost their meaning if used outside the true Church.
the Church was also a human, visible community, found only in organized form. The individual could not be
saved by direct contact with God. The carefully graded hierarchy, without which the organized Church could not
exist, was established by Christ and the apostles.....the only unambiguous instruction (the Scriptures) contained
being to remain faithful to the Church and obey its rules. With Cyprian, then, the freedom preached by Paul and
based on the power of Christian truth was removed from the ordinary members of the Church, it was retained only
by the bishops (overseers), through whom the Holy Spirit still worked, who were collectively delegated to represent
the totality of church members." Re-read this, replacing the word "church" with "organization." Then ask if this does not describe accurately the view inculcated among Jehovah's Witnesses through constant repetition as shown by the following evidence. For Watchtower readers, the organization is in effect portrayed as above and beyond correction by any source other than God and Christ. For anyone to attempt to point out errors would indicate that they thought themselves "smarter" than the "mother" organization, hence lacking in humility. Incredible it may seem when considering the long history of speculation, failed predictions, erroneous date setting and numerous shiftiness in interpretations of Scriptures, the Watchtower 2/1/52 article tells its readers that they can receive the "mother organization's teachings "much more readily" than the Beroeans could receive what the apostle Paul said-because "we have much past experience with the precious provisions from the slave (the organization)"! In reality, the greater their past experience with the organization's publications, the greater their reason for exercising extreme caution, as the organization's error-ridden history plainly shows. God's Outlaw, a book by Brian Edwards about bible translator William Tyndale, on page 7 lists one of Martin Luther's three major contentions as being that "the papacy was a human governing body, capable of error and itself to be tested by Scripture." (1)
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"We must show our understanding in these matters, appreciating our relationship to the visible theocratic
organization, remembering the fate of those like Korah and Achan and Saul and Uzziah and others who forgot the
theocratic order. Are we assigned as individuals to bring forth the food through the spiritual table? No> Then
let us not try to take over the slave's duties. 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 or 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 salve as needed, not we
as individuals. If we do not see appoint 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. Now some may ask, should we accept as form the Lord and true the food provided through the discreet slave, or should we withhold acceptance until we have.proved it for ourselves? If we have gained our present understanding of the Bible by feeding of the table set by the slave, if we have been thereby freed from false doctrines and built up in the clean and undefiled worship of God and given a new world hope, we should have some confidence in the slave's provisions. After being nourished to our present spiritual strength and maturity, do we suddenly become smarter than our former provider and forsake the enlightening guidance of the organization that mothered us? "Forsake not the law of the mother." (Prov. 6:20-23) And if the heavenly father would not give a stone or serpent or scorpion to a child who asked for bread or fish or an egg from him, are we to take the spiritual food he provides through the slave into our hands as if we were going to be bruised by a stone or bitten by a serpent or stung by a scorpion? (Matt. 7:7-11; Luke 11:9-13, NW ) Are we to be doubtful and suspicious about each new provision? "He who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven by the wind and blown about. In fact, let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from Jehovah." (Jas.1:6,7,NW) Even the Beroeans first received Paul's preaching "with the greatest readiness of mind", and then went to "carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so." (Acts 17:11, NW) This was the first real contact the Beroeans had with Paul's preaching, yet they received it readily and then studied the Scriptural support for themselves. How much more readily we can receive the slave's provisions with confidence, since, unlike the Beroeans, we have much past experience with the precious provisions from the slave. After receiving these food supplies we prove their Scripturalness for ourselves to make the message our own, in a spirit of meekness and trustfulness and not combativeness."
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Third Century Cyprian - The Treatises of Cyprian, Treatise I, paragraphs 5, 6 |
Twentieth Century Watchtower Organization (ekklesia) |
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Cyprian of The Third Century |
The Watchtower 5/1/57, page 274 |
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| "...from her womb are born, by her milk we are nourished, by here spirit we are animated....He can
no longer have God for his Father, who has not the Church for his mother. If any one could escape who was outside
the ark of Noah, then he also may escape who shall be outside of the Church. The Lord warns, saying, "He who
is not with me is against me, and he who gathereth not with me scattereth." The
Treaties of Cyprian, Treatise I, paragraphs 5,6. Jesus is no longer the "only mediator between men and God", his divine role diminished to the background. One must go through the "mother" church to get to God. As Cyprian so brazenly states that a person cannot have God has his father if he fails to go through the "mother" church. Eighteen centuries later, the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society repeat this very accusation, claiming their organization "church" to be the "mother" and one MUST recognize their organization as their "mother" or fail to have God as their father and walk in the light. Any persons who dare fail to walk in obedience to the Watchtower "mother" organization, "not only forsake the teaching law of the mother, but they literally throw God's woman out into the streets." Comparisons are made to those in ancient Israel who failed to listen to their parents and were thus stoned to death along with the youths who teased the prophet Elisha and were brutally murdered by two she-bears that came out from the woods sent by Elisha and God. "Today also, God requires and exacts from his children obedience, honor and respect. These must be rendered not only to the living God himself, but to his wifely organization as well."
As persons are coerced, manipulated and accused of leaving God by their failure to being in total submission and obedience to the "mother" church and later the "mother" Watchtower organization, one cannot help but think of the Galatians who fell into the same trap in Paul;'s day. (Gal 5) |
"Observe, O my son, the commandment of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother. For
the commandment is a lamp, and a light the law is, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life."(Prov.
6:20,23) "Consider that for a moment. Two things are mentioned: the commandment of the father and the teaching or law of the mother. Then the proverb explains that the commandment of the father is a burning lamp but that there is light also from the teaching of law of the mother. The world is full of Bibles, which Book contains the commandments of God. Why, then, do the people not know which way to go? Because they do not also have the teaching or law of the mother, which is light, Jehovah God has provided his holy written Word for all mankind and it contains all the information that is needed for men in taking a course leading to life. But God has not arranged for the Word to speak independently or to shine forth life-giving truths by itself. His Word says: "Light is sown for the righteous." (Ps. 97:11) It is through his organization that God provides this light that the proverb says is the teaching or law of the mother. If we are to walk in the light of truth we must recognize not only Jehovah God as our Father but his organization as our mother. Some who call themselves Christians and who claim God as their Father boast that they walk with God alone, that he directs their steps personally. Such persons not only forsake the teaching or law of the mother, but they literally throw God's woman out into the streets. The light of God's truth is not for them. In the nation of Israel Jehovah made obedience to parents mandatory. "Honor your father and your mother" was the fifth commandment of the Ten. (Ex. 20:2-17; Deut. 5:16, NW) The reward for obedience was long life; for disobedience death. "In case a man should happen to have a son who is stubborn and rebellious, he not listening to the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and they have corrected him but he will not listen to them, then ... all the men of his city must stone him with stones and he must die." (Deut. 21:18-21,NW) Such honor and obedience was required not only as due the immediate parents in the flesh but also as rightfully belonging to the older men of influence in Israel. Failure to render such proper respect to Elisha, the prophet of Jehovah, brought upon a gang of juvenile delinquents the just sentence of speedy execution. (2 Ki. 2:24) Today also, God requires and exacts from his children obedience, honor and respect. These must be rendered not only to the living God himself, but to his wifely organization as well. |
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Ignatius - 30 A.D. to 107 A.D. |
Twentieth Century Watchtower Organization (ekklesia) |
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Epistle to the Trallians, Chapter VII |
Qualified to Be Ministers - 1967, page 156 |
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"For what is the bishop but one who beyond all others possesses all power and authority, so far
as it is possible for a man to possess it, who according to his ability has been made an imitator of the Christ
of God....He, therefore, that will no yield obedience to such, must needs be on utterly without God, an impious
man, who despises Christ, and depreciates his appointments." Epistle
to the Trallians, Chapter VII
After cleansing those belonging to this house who were alive on earth, Jehovah poured out his spirit upon them and assigned them the responsibility of serving as his sole visible channel, through whom alone spiritual instruction was to come. Those who recognize Jehovah's visible theocratic organization, therefore must recognize and accept this appointment of the "faithful and discreet slave" and be submissive to it."
Notice:
Therefore, in submitting to Jehovah's visible theocratic organization, we must be in full and complete agreement with every feature of its apostolic procedure and requirements. We can expect a similar expansion of our preaching activity now, at this climax of the ages. No doubt,
before the "great tribulation" is finished, we will see the greatest witness to God's name and kingdom
in the history of this world. And while now the witness yet includes the invitation to come to Jehovah's organization
for salvation, the time no doubt will come when the message takes on a harder tone, like a "great war
cry."
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"The first essential for study is the right condition of mind and hear, appreciating that Jehovah and
grants understanding only to the meek and not to the stiff-necked. If we have love for Jehovah and for his organization
of his people we shall not be suspicious, but shall, as the Bible says, "Believe all things, all the
things the Watchtower brings out in as much as it has been faithful in giving us a knowledge of God's purposes
and guiding us in the ways of peace, safety and truth from its inception to this present day."
God's way of ruling is by love. (1John 4:16) He wants us to do things because they are right. Sometime in the future a test may be imposed upon us to comply with certain information that God brings to our attention. It may hit something that we love very dearly. What do we do? Will we hesitate in applying counsel, perhaps pondering in our mind as to what we want to do about it? If that would be the case, wouldn't we really be asking ourselves the question, "Do we really want the rulership of God? Would not a failure to respond to direction from God through his organization really indicate a rejection of divine rulership?
"We can benefit from this consideration. If we have once established what instrument God is using as his "slave" to dispense spiritual food to his people, surely Jehovah is not pleased if we receive that food as though it might contain something harmful. We should have confidence in the channel God is using. At the Brooklyn headquarters from which the Bible publications of Jehovah's Witnesses emanate there are more mature Christian elders both of the "remnant" and of the "other sheep," than anywhere else on earth. True, the brothers preparing these publications are not infallible,. Their writings are not inspired as are those of Paul and the other Bible writers. (2 Tim. 3:16) and so at times it has been necessary, as understanding became clearer, in correct views. (Prov. 4:18( However, this has resulted in a continual refining of the body of Bible-based truth to which Jehovah's Witnesses subscribe. Over the years, as adjustments have been made to that body of truth, it has become ever more wonderful and applicable to our lives in these "last days." Bible commentators of Christendom are not inspirited either. Despite their claims to great knowledge, they have failed to highlight even basic Bible truths-such as the coming Paradise earth, the importance of God's name, and the condition of the dead. Rather, the record that the "faithful and discreet slave" organization has made for the past more than 100 years forces us to the conclusion that Peter expressed when Jesus asked if his apostles also wanted to leave him, namely, "whom shall we go away to?" (John 6:66-69) No question about it. We all need help to understand the Bible, and we cannot find the Scriptural guidance we need outside the "faithful and discreet slave" organization." |
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Watchtower Baptismal Requirements |
Watchtower Baptismal Questions |
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Must be Re-Baptized |
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"Often the question is asked whether one baptized previously in a ceremony performed by some other religious group should gain be baptized when coming to an accurate knowledge of the truth and making a dedication to Jehovah. Because of what has been already said, now there is compelling reason for also saying Yes one must be baptized again. Obviously, by any of such religious systems on was never in reality baptized "In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit." because had he been so baptized he would have appreciated the authority and office of such true Higher Powers. And if previously dedicated to Jehovah, the individual would have separated himself from such God-dishonoring Babylonish systems eve before letting them baptized him. So the act of being baptized is not the important thing, but rather, that which the act symbolizes is the element of importance."
"Hence now when the call to come out of Babylon is being clearly sounded out, if anyone has heard of this call and yet remains in a religious part of anti typical Babylon and gets immersed in such a religious part, his immersion would not count. His decision could not have been a dedication to do God's will, because to quote paragraph 14, "the individual would have separated himself from such God-dishonoring Babylonish systems even before letting them baptize him" For 19 Centuries men became baptized without the acceptance to an "earthly organization." Now, due to the Watchtower's simplification, things have changed.
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Today a person must be baptized in the name of "Jehovah's visible
organization," but that was not always the case. The Watchtower 7/1/55
QUESTIONS:
(1) Do you believe in Jehovah, God the Father, that "salvation belongeth unto Jehovah", and that Christ Jesus is his Son in whose blood your sins are washed away and by whom salvation comes to you from God? (2) Have you therefore confessed you sins to God and asked for cleansing by Christ Jesus, and therefore
turned away from sin and the world and consecrated yourself without reservation to God to do his will?
(1) Have you recognized yourself before Jehovah God as a sinner who needs salvation, and have you acknowledge to him that this salvation proceeds from him the Father through his Son Jesus Christ? (2) On the basis of this faith in God and in his provision for salvation, have you dedicated yourself unreservedly to God to do his will henceforth as he reveals it to you through Jesus Christ and through the Bible under the enlightenment of the holy spirit? In a Complete Reversal:
(1) On the basis of the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, have you repented of your sins and dedicated yourself to Jehovah to do his will? (2) Do you understand that your dedication and baptism identify you as on of Jehovah's Witnesses in association with God's spirit-directed organization? What happened to the Holy Spirit? He was replaced with an "earthly organization." The Watchtower's Explanation:
"Recently the two questions addressed to baptismal candidates were simplified so the candidates could answer with full comprehension of what is involved in coming into intimate relationship with God and his earthy organization." This simplification now conveys the idea that God's Holy Spirit will not operate on the person being baptized except in connection with the Watchtower Society. |
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