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Exploring Watchtower Bible & Tract Society Material

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Two Traits of Watchtower Jesus

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I would like to take just a little time to see what the Watchtower said about Jesus.  The organization throughout various points within it’s history has had conflicting teachings on who Jesus was.  They settled on Michael in the 1920s with quotes such as:

But Jesus was a prince, the Son of God.  In his prehuman condition his name was Michael.  He created the angels and everything else in the universe, except God himself.

The Watchtower and Herald of Christ’s Kingdom..  April 1, 1929 p. 109

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This isn’t the only thing that has been subject to change. Jesus, while on earth had his appearance change as well.  I would like to start by covering the beard of Jesus. 

The word “boldness” here used means frankness, bluntness, speaking freely and with confidence, outspokenness.  This proves what kind of man Jesus was, of whom the apostles learned.  It also proves that Jesus was, of whom the apostles learned.  It also proves that Jesus has been grossly misrepresented by others.  Grace was poured upon Jesus’ lips.  But that did not mean that he had to rub his hands together, pull his beard, and look down when he spoke to somebody else.  Jesus was straightforward. 

The Watchtower and Herald of Christ’s Kingdom.  July 15, 1927 p. 214, 215

Grace is used in the above quote and you as a Watchtowerite knows the New World Translation equivalent: Undeserved kindness. 

This spurred a question: Are you as a Watchtowerite straightforward when you are in field service telling the people why you are knocking on their door? 

The traditional picture of Jesus shows him with long hair and beard, but the Watch Tower publications illustrate him as beardless and with short hair. Which is correct?—M. H., United States.

The later Watch Tower publications show Jesus as beardless and with short hair because he is shown that way in representations of him that are older than the traditional effeminate-looking picture.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom.  August 15, 1954 p. 511

When Jesus Christ was a man on earth, did he wear a beard?—K.A., U.S.A.

Biblical evidence is the most reliable testimony to be found on this question, and a recent careful review of what it says indicates that Jesus did indeed have a beard.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom.  May 1, 1968 p. 286

Here are some considerations:

Depictions throughout the history of Christendom whether it be the Eastern which is the Eastern Orthodox church or Western Christianity of which the umbrella includes Catholicism, Protestants, and Evangelicals predominately depict the adult Jesus with a beard.  There are all according to the organization under the control of Satan.  However, these groups under Satan’s control have shown that they had it correct all along.   

The organization said Biblical evidence is the most reliable testimony.  Here’s some verses from the New World Translation:

  • Galatians 4:4 (NWT)-But when the full limit of the time arrived, God sent his Son, who was born of a woman, and who was under the law,
    • Galatians was written in the year 56 A.D.
  • Leviticus 19:27 (NWT)-You must not shave the hair on the side of your head or disfigure the edges of your beard.
  • Leviticus was written between 1440 and 1400 B.C.
  • Isaiah 50:6 (NWT)-Prophetic passage that says (NWT): I offered my back to those striking me And my cheeks to those who plucked them bare.  I did not hide my face from humiliating things and from spit.   
  • Isaiah was written between 701 and 681 B.C.

Now, I will never call myself a biblical scholar at all however, the organization didn’t read any of those verses that I just quickly did.  After reading through those verses it should have been plainly evident.    

Now that the Watchtower is finally right on Jesus having a beard, let’s talk about something I came across recently, what happened to the body of Jesus?

Our Lord’s human body, the one crucified, was removed from the tomb by the power of God.  Had it remained there it would have been an obstacle in the way of the faith of his disciples, who were not yet instructed in spiritual things.  They were not thus instructed until the giving of the holy spirit at Pentecost.  The scriptures do not reveal what became of that body, except that it did not decay or corrupt. (Acts 2:27-31)  We can only surmise that the Lord may have preserved it somewhere to exhibit to the people of the millennial age.

The Harp of God.  1921, 1928 ed. p. 172

Here he was crucified and not impaled because again, the New World Translation didn’t exist. 

What happened to the perfect fleshly body of Jesus after his death? Was it preserved so that in time men will look upon it in worship? or does Jesus still have this fleshly body in the heavens, “spiritualized” so that it can be seen and worshiped? Neither. The Scriptures answer: It was disposed of by Jehovah God, dissolved into its constituent elements or atoms.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. September 1, 1953 p. 518

If the body would remain, there would be visible creature worship. 

This is the last time that the organization used the term “disposed” in literature however the concept still remains and is reinforced with the following:

Well, then, what happened to Jesus’ fleshly body? Did not the disciples find his tomb empty? They did, because God removed Jesus’ body. Why did God do this? It fulfilled what had been written in the Bible. (Psalm 16:10; Acts 2:31)

You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth. 1982, 1989 ed. p. 144 

So let’s analyze this section:

Jesus would have to have two separate bodies.  One to be displayed and the other body is to be inhabited.  Most likely, the invisible body would be the spiritual one.  The organization talks so much about Jehovah yet only Jesus is that is to be on display.  Why is that?  Has the organization contradicted the very words within the New World Translation?

I say this because a common thread for people involved with organizations similar to the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society deny of the visible bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.

What happened to Jesus’ body:  Since the organization said that scripture is the authority, why do they plainly miss the following verses from John 2:19-21 (NWT) 19. Jesus replied to them: “Tear down this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.  20.  The Jews then said: “This temple was built in 46 years, and will you raise it up in three days?”  21. But he was talking about the temple of his body. 

One more verse and I’ll be done.  This is a post resurrection account of Jesus recorded in Luke 24:37-39 (NWT)-But because they were terrified and frightened, they imagined that they were seeing a spirit.  So he said to them: “Why are you troubled, and why have doubts come up in your hearts?  See my hands and my feet, that it is I myself; touch me and see, for a spirit does not have flesh and bones just as you see that I have.”

Are you going to place down the Watchtower material and read the Bible?  When you do, you too will be thankful for the simplicity that God has offered. 

Watchtower and Higher Education

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I would like to examine education from the Watchtower perspective.  The video will be featuring Anthony Morris III and I will be adding a commentary and some thoughts.  The organization from the beginning has no valued much in the way of education because there’s an old adage, “knowledge is power.”  Through prevention of the rank and file (common Watchtowerite) from getting a higher education, speaking strictly from the educational aspect, the organization has prevented the majority of you from a better life economically which generally comes from gaining a college education.  I say generally because there is no guarantee in life except for death and taxes.

Prior to looking at the Watchtower and quick start contrast is the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the Seventh Day Adventists. 

The LDS or Mormons as is commonly known operates Brigham Young University in Brigham, Utah.  They are encouraged to get a college education.  One direct connection is my wife works with a Mormon and their kids have scholarships lined up when they graduate high school for a full ride to BYU.  The Pew website gives interesting information on Mormons.   

One impressive statistic is that 73% range from some college to a post graduate degree.  The Jehovah’s Witness range is approximately 37%.  That can be found here. 

Another similar group is the Seventh Day Adventist in America.  Their range is approximately 66%.  The Adventists operate the following institutions of higher education:

  • Burman University in Lacombe, Alberta Canada
  • Walla Walla University in Washington
  • Pacific Union College in California
  • Loma Linda University in California
  • Union College in Nebraska
  • Southwestern Adventist University in Texas
  • Andrews University in Michigan
  • Kettering College in Ohio
  • Southern Adventist University in Tennessee
  • Oakwood University in Alabama
  • Washington Adventist University in Maryland
  • Adventist University of Health Sciences in Florida

 

In contrast, the Watchtower is unofficially jumping in late to the “party.”  There is one school system that isn’t officially sanctioned or associated with the organization and it is New System School.  The webpage says it is in 35 states and expanding.  With this in mind, I would like to keep up with “new light” today and examine a video featuring Tony Morris.  

 

All words in bold are those of Tony Morris or Watchtower representative.

:15-:19 Has the Governing Body changed it’s view on the pursuit of higher secular education? No.

However, you will see that this is not the case.

:30-:40 Our goal now is to focus on the pursuit of intensify our promotion of the pursuit of divine education. 

Does this mean that the material put out by the organization is now to be considered inspired since the primary method of teaching a Jehovah’s Witness is through the Watchtower magazine? 

:58-1:07 The cost of obtaining university training is not our primary concern. It is the potential for spiritual harm (Potential emphasis is mine).

What is the definition of spiritual harm?  Could it be when an individual is away from the continual teachings of the organization they have a better chance of going inactive since they are getting information from a variety of sources in which isn’t from the organization’s official website? 

1:34-1:50 Ask yourself, “Why are you getting additional education? Because I’m pursuing a specific skill or trade to support my service to Jehovah?” 

Why does Jehovah need more workers when the work which should be “speeding up” isn’t going anywhere?  The organization is losing people and trying to mask this by giving reasons with information on their website “Branch Offices of Jehovah’s Witnesses Consolidated”  and the accompanying reason why it’s happening. 

Here’s a news article that says as much: 

http://www.tri-cityherald.com/news/local/article32136270.html

What we have again is the classic case of the organization stating one thing yet actions aren’t meeting the words. 

Also, let’s just say for one minute that Armageddon happened today.  The Society hasn’t looked at Revelation 21:5 (NWT): And the One seated on the throne said: “Look! I am making all things new.”  Also he says: “Write, for these words are faithful and true.”

Let’s contrast this with information printed out by the organization:

It says, first of all, you have the work of cleaning up the earth and clearing away the ruins of this old system.  And then they will have the privilege, under the direction of the Kingdom rule, of cultivating the earth and making it a beautiful place in which to live.

You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth. 1982, 1989 edition. p. 159

So in short, the organization is preparing you to be unemployed in the new system if the words of the New World Translation are correct.  However, if the quote from You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth is correct, as a Witness, the words in the New World Translation are in error.

1:50-2:00 Or will higher education make me a more respected person lead me to a better life.

This chart provided by the Bureau of Labor Statistics should give enough evidence that economically, it is better to have a college education. 

ep_chart_001

http://www.bls.gov/emp/ep_chart_001.htm

 

2:03-2:10 If we are in continued association with those who do not believe the same, it can erode our thinking and convictions.

The organization in short wants to rely on the door to door work to gain converts.  I guess those who became Christians after working or being friends with someone isn’t a good method even though Jesus in Matthew 28:19 said, “Make disciples.”  He doesn’t say how, He just says to do it.  That leaves a lot of latitude in the methodology. 

2:31-2:36 We are to be careful that this system does not share or mold our thinking.

To a point I would agree.  However, isn’t this what the organization does?  Is there as much churn and change in the world as there is with the organization regarding different types of changes such as doctrine?

2:37-2:42 Higher learning can easily influence thinking and attitude.

Couldn’t this easily be applied to the organization as well since it influences thinking and attitude?  One example is how the organization uses John 14:28 to disprove the deity of Jesus, doesn’t the organization do the same thing? 

3:14-3:23 Who dropped them off at the university?  Where does the responsibility really lie?

What we have here is Tony Morris finding a way to not encourage parents to send their child to college. 

5:23-5:36 Think of all the opportunity to enjoy divine education (accompanied by this image):

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Does divine education need to be done in the sight of men?  Galatians 1:10 comes to mind, and it says, (New World Translation), “Or am I trying to please men?”  Or perhaps John 14:23 (New World Translation) “for they loved the glory of men ever more than the glory of God.”

Does “divine education” need to be done in the local kingdom hall or during an activity associated with other Witnesses? 

5:52-6:07 We need construction skills around the world right now.  We will not need doctors or lawyers after Armageddon. 

If that is the case, why doesn’t the organization put an end to the lawyers in the legal department and have them pick up a hammer instead to help out with these construction projects?  They are wasting their time on one case when they should devote that time for kingdom hall construction.

6:25-6:36 Speaking of lawyers, we have an interesting case of brother Philip Bromley. The organization made a decision to send you through law school.

It is foolish to want to be a doctor or a lawyer.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom.  August 1, 1975 p.451

Yet, when the organization deems it necessary, they can send someone violating the very words it printed.

6:50-6:55 A fierce spirit of competition in law school.

Isn’t the goal of the educational system in general promote competition to see who is number one?  Are the traits he mentioned employed by the organization especially when it comes to the growing number of child abuse cases going to court? 

8:24-9:00An inclination toward medicine, become a nurse instead of a doctor.  Become a paralegal rather than an attorney… Consume four, six, eight, or 10 years of study.  Focus on two years of study to become a pioneer. 

Here we have again the organization promoting someone to not try to explore their academic possibility but to immediately get into a field that interests them yet limit automatically limit themselves. 

This is again a case where you can go to college and do Biblical things.  The person who goes to college simply has to learn time management skills.  This is coming from someone who has a bachelor degree and a juris doctorate (most likely seven total years of education).

Why not give up being a lawyer?  Paul the Apostle gave up a lot according to Philippians 3:8 (NWT): What is more, I do indeed also consider all things to be loss on account of the excelling value of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord.  For his sake I have taken the loss of all things and I consider them as a lot of refuse, that I may gain Christ.

9:00-9:25 Subtle mental conditioning that can transpire when exposed to higher education.  If they need further attorneys, they won’t expose the Bethel family.

Doesn’t the organization do the exact same thing?  Are they supposed to go outside of the channel of communication for help? 

9:55-10:15 College was a factor in breaking up a family

Further blatant fear mongering by blaming college as a contributing factor to a family breakup.

10:15-10:33 Why not pioneer a year after high school?  You’re young, strong, and healthy.

Is it possible that as the organization is getting older due to the young leaving that they want the youth to get involved immediately in hopes of convincing them to stay? 

This organization wants to keep you like a child.  Children are dependent typically on a mother.  The organization calls itself this in May 1, 1957 on page 274 of the Watchtower magazine says, “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.” 

The Truth-Delivered by Jehovah or a Conglomeration of Men?

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The title is a loaded question and I know it, however, I will back it up with verifiable information.

Taken from the July 1879 issue of Zion’s Watchtower and Herald of Christ’s Presence Reprints p. 8, 9:

“A truth presented by Satan himself is just as true as a truth stated by God.

Perhaps no class of people are more apt to overlook this fact than the Christian. How often do they in controversy overlook and ignore truth presented by their opponents. This is particularly the case when arguing with an infidel. They feel at perfect liberty to dispute everything he says on religious subjects. This is not the correct principle. Many infidels are honest–as anxious to speak and believe the truth as are Christians–and if in converse with them we ignore truths which they may advance, we not only fail to convince them of our truths, but put an end to all hope of reaching them; for our failure to admit the evident truth which they advance begets in them contempt for the one who is not honest enough to admit one truth because he does not see how it can be reconciled to another. Accept truth wherever you find it, no matter what it contradicts, and rely for ability to afterwards harmonize it with others upon “The Spirit of truth, which shall guide you into all truth,” as Jesus promised.

Is everything harmonized or just elements of it?

Today, I’d like to look at where the Watchtower goes in search of those who “make the truth true.”

What I will simply do is go over a list of resources and some background information about the author(s) and/or specific quotes on the material that was produced.  Take special note of the material when it was published and if they had any connection with the Society.   

Protestant and Catholic

Edmond de Presseznsé-The Early Years of Christianity.  1879 

Robert Jamieson, A. R. Fausset and David Brown.  A Commentary, Critical and Explanatory, on the Old and New Testaments.  1873

William Carey.  An Enquiry Into the Obligations of Christians to Use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens.  1729

Heinrich August Wilhelm Meyer.  Critical and Exegetical Hand-book to the Gospel of John.  1884. 

Exegetical Hand-Book to the Gospel of Matthew.  1880. 

Alfred Edersheim.  The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah.  1906.  Jewish convert to Christianity. 

J.E. Hunther.  Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the General Epistles of James, Peter, John, and Jude.  1887

B. F. Westcott and F. J. A. Hort.  1881.  Used for the basis of the Greek side of the Kingdom Interlinear Translation.  Christianity Today

Antoine Augustin Calmet.  James Bruce’s Dictionary of The Holy Bible.  1832.   Antoine died in 1757 and was a Catholic.  How many times has the Society gone after the Catholic Church even though it bears much in common?

The Catholic Encyclopedia-the organization has used this numerous times. 

Ernst Wilhelm Hengstenberg.  Christology of the Old Testament.  1839. died in 1869. 

John H. Newman.  Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine.  1881 edition.  A Catholic cardinal

William Dool Killen.  The Ancient Church.  1859.  Irish Presbyterian minister. 

James Hastings.  The Dictionary of the Apostolic Church.  1916.  Scottish Presbyterian minister and biblical scholar

Patrick Fairbairn.  The Imperial Bible-Dictionary.  1874.  Scottish minister and theologian

Adventists

Bible Readings for the Home Circle.  A Topical Study of the Bible, Systematically

Arranged for Home and Private Study.  1920 edition.

Similar to:

If the six volumes of SCRIPTURE STUDIES are practically the Bible topically arranged, with Bible proof-texts given, we might not improperly name the volumes– the Bible in an arranged form. 

The Watch Tower and Herald of Christ’s Presence.  September 15, 1910.   Reprints page 4685

Christadelphian

Benjamin Wilson.  The Emphatic Diaglott.  1808

Eastern Orthodox

Cyril Lucar or Lucaris.  Confession of Faith.  1629

Unitarian: Alvin Lamson 

 

 

Michael Severtus: In 1538 Servetus, as Villeneuve, got into trouble with the faculty of medicine, the Parlement of Paris, and the Inquisition for mixing astrology with medicine. Although he was acquitted by the Inquisition, the Parlement ruled that his published self-defense was to be confiscated and he was to desist from the practice of astrology.

http://uudb.org/articles/michaelservetus.html

Last I checked the organization officially condemned it with the following:

Astrology is based on falsehoods and is therefore detestable to the God of truth, Jehovah. (Psalm 31:5) For that reason, the Bible clearly condemns it and urges people to have nothing to do with it. At Deuteronomy 18:10-12, God clearly states: “There should not be found in you . . . anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, . . . anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead. For everybody doing these things is something detestable to Jehovah.”

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom.  June 1, 2010 p. 20, 21

However, they embrace him and regard him as one to look up to him even though he engaged in this practice. 

Occult

It comes as no surprise that one Johannes Greber, a former Catholic clergyman, has become a spiritualist and has published the book entitled “Communication with the Spirit World, Its laws and Its Purpose.” (1932, Macoy Publishing Company, New York) In its Foreword he makes the typical misstatement: “The most significant spiritualistic book is the Bible; for its principal contents hinge upon the messages of the beyond to those existing in the present.”

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom.  October 1, 1955 p. 603

Says Johannes Greber in the introduction of his translation of The New Testament, copyrighted in 1937: “I myself was a Catholic priest, and until I was forty-eight years old had never as much as believed in the possibility of communicating with the world of God’s spirits. The day came, however, when I involuntarily took my first step toward such communication, and experienced things that shook me to the depths of my soul. . . . My experiences are related in a book that has appeared in both German and English and bears the title, Communication with the Spirit-World: Its Laws and Its Purpose.” (Page 15, ¶ 2, 3) In keeping with his Roman Catholic extraction Greber’s translation is bound with a gold-leaf cross on its stiff front cover. In the Foreword of his aforementioned book ex-priest Greber says: “The most significant spiritualistic book is the Bible.” Under this impression Greber endeavors to make his New Testament translation read very spiritualistic.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom February 15, 1956 p. 110, 111

A translation by a former Roman Catholic priest, Johannes Greber (1937 ed.) renders the second appearance of the word “god” in the sentence as “a god.” And The Four Gospels—A New Translation, by Professor Charles Cutler Torrey (second ed., 1947), says: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God. and the Word was god.  When he was in the beginning with God all things were created through him; without him came no created thing into being.” (John 1:1-3) Note that what the Word is said to be is spelled without a capital initial letter, namely, “god.”

Aid To Bible Understanding. 1971 p. 1669

Thus the translation by Johannes Greber (1937) renders these verses: “Tombs were laid open, and many bodies of those buried there were tossed upright. In this posture they projected from the graves and were seen by many who passed by the place on their way back to the city.”—Compare the New World Translation.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom October 15, 1975 p. 640

A report in the Bible, as translated by Johannes Greber, says that when Jesus died, “the earth quaked, and the rocks were shattered.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom April 15, 1976 p. 231

Why, in recent years, has The Watchtower not made use of the translation by the former Catholic priest, Johannes Greber?

This translation was used occasionally in support of renderings of Matthew 27:52, 53 and John 1:1, as given in the New World Translation and other authoritative Bible versions. But as indicated in a foreword to the 1980 edition of The New Testament by Johannes Greber, this translator relied on “God’s Spirit World” to clarify for him how he should translate difficult passages. It is stated: “His wife, a medium of God’s Spirit world was often instrumental in conveying the correct answers from God’s Messengers to Pastor Greber.” The Watchtower has deemed it improper to make use of a translation that has such a close rapport with spiritism. (Deuteronomy 18:10-12) The scholarship that forms the basis for the rendering of the above-cited texts in the New World Translation is sound and for this reason does not depend at all on Greber’s translation for authority. Nothing is lost, therefore, by ceasing to use his New Testament.

The Watchtower Announcing Jehovah’s Kingdom. April 1, 1983 p. 31

As you can see, this is just a small sampling of the material that the organization has quoted over the years.

Where would this organization be without the mix Christianity (the umbrella of Protestants, Catholics, Eastern Orthodox) and people involved in the occult?  Would the Society even exist? 

One quote from the book Babylon The Great Has Fallen, God’s Kingdom Rules. 1963: Because Great Babylon herself stands for the world empire of false religion with its priests clergymen, monks, nuns, astrologers, spiritists, sorcerers. p. 605, 606. 

My question is this, why does this organization clearly align itself with Babylon the Great when it comes to producing material?  This is evidenced by continually using Babylon the Great to cite material from.  The book “Reasoning From the Scriptures” uses nothing but resources that those within the organization hates to prove that it is the one true organization.  When all “false religion” as the society renders it is destroyed, does this mean the Society itself will fall? 

This organization that calls itself “the truth” continually relies on Babylon the Great to try and gain credibility.  Last I checked, this is not how it’s supposed to be.