Thirty years ago this week, an 81-year-old manicurist named Clara Peller became famous for uttering what was to become one of the top ten advertising catchphrases of the 20th Century: “Where’s the beef?” The phrase was used everywhere after that, even working its way into the 1984 U.S. presidential campaign when Walter Mondale used it to criticize his rival’s lack of substance during the Democratic primary.
Milk is a wholesome food, easily digested (assuming you are not lactose-intolerant) and is the food Jehovah designed to feed newborns. Paul uses milk metaphorically to show how newborn Christians are fed—those still fleshly in their outlook.[i] However, that is a temporary food. The infant soon needs “solid food such as belongs to mature people…who through use have their perceptive powers trained to distinguish both right and wrong.”[ii] In short, we need the meat of the word.
This week’s study article is an object lesson in what has become standard practice in our teaching, especially with the release of the study addition of The Watchtower. Since the Governing Body is now “preaching to the converted”, they seem to feel little need to provide scriptural support for any of the statements made. Like young sucklings, we are expected to just drink in the word unquestioningly; and for the most part we oblige them.
As we review highlights from this week’s study, ask yourself, “Where’s the beef?”
Par. 4 – “What a difficult thing it is to endure the ridicule and opposition of family members who do not share our faith!”
The unstated assumption is that all this ridicule and opposition from family members comes because people outside of our organization simply do not understand the truth. They are part of Satan’s world. However, this door swings both ways. There have been thousands of true Christians who have pointed out errors in our teaching and been willing to back their findings up with sound scriptural reasoning. These have encountered ridicule and opposition, even to the point of being completely cut off from family and friends. Truly, “a man’s enemies will be persons of his own household.”
Par. 6 – “Come, you people, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah.”
Par. 7 – “despite having come from rival nations, these worshipers have beaten “their swords into plowshares,” and they refuse to “learn war anymore.”
Again, the unstated assumption we are expected to swallow down is that this mountain of Jehovah has appeared only in our time; that the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses is the “mountain” to which the nations are streaming.
“Where’s the beef?”
No proof is provided for this statement. We are simply expected to accept it as gospel. Yet our own version of the Bible gives a cross reference for the phrase “in the final part of the days” taken from Micah 4:1 which points to Acts 2:17. There, Peter refers to his day as fulfilling the prophecy of the “last days” or the “final part of the days”. When Jesus came and established the Christian congregation, can anyone deny that the mountain of Jehovah was established then? Was it not from that point onward that ‘people from all nations came to worship at the mountain of Jehovah’? True, unlike the majority of Christendom, we have beaten our swords into plowshares. But this process hardly started with us, nor is it exclusive to us nowadays. It has been ongoing among true Christians for the past 2,000 years.
Par. 8 – “God is giving all sorts of people the opportunity to gain “an accurate knowledge of truth”…and to be saved.” (Read 1 Timothy 2:3,4)
Here again, the unspoken assumption is that such “accurate knowledge of truth” can only be obtained through the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Salvation is made possible through the acquisition of this “accurate knowledge”. Jesus repeatedly taught that the hope of salvation for his disciples was the kingdom of the heavens; to be with him there. This is “the good news about Jesus.”[iii] However, we are taught a different good news.[iv] We are taught that this hope is denied to 99.9% of all “true Christians” today. So are we teaching accurate knowledge or inaccurate knowledge? Only one leads to life.
Par. 9 – In the near future, the nations will say “Peace and security!”
Where’s the proof? All the Bible says is, “Whenever it is that they are saying…” No mention is made of this being a proclamation at a multinational level, as paragraph 12 teaches. A small thing, you might say. But the matter is, why are we being expected to simply accept the unfounded interpretation of men?
Par. 14 – “Following the proclamation of “Peace and security!” political elements of Satan’s system will suddenly turn on false religion and wipe it out.”
Paul links the saying of “Peace and security!” as preceding the Lord’s day. Does the Lord’s day begin with the destruction of Babylon the great? It’s hard to say categorically, but the weight of evidence seems to point to a period of time following the end of Babylon after which Armageddon, the Lord’s day or Jehovah’s day, occurs. Yet we simply teach that this saying, “Peace and security!”, precedes Babylon’s destruction. Again, no evidence, not substance…just believe.
Par. 17 – “Soon, Jehovah’s day will come. Now is the time to return to our heavenly Father’s loving arms and to the congregation—the only safe haven in these last days.
Par. 18 – Loyally support those taking the lead. [Italics and boldface from the article]
Par. 19 – “…display confidence in Jehovah’s leadership”
Par. 20 – “…let us accept direction from those appointed to take the lead in Jehovah’s organization.”
Here is the crux of the study. Armageddon is coming and the only safe place to be is inside the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses, but to do that we have to “display confidence in Jehovah’s leadership. What scripture is provided to support this statement? None. So what do they mean? According to Matthew 23:10, humans are not to be leaders. Our leader is one, the Christ. So Jehovah’s leadership is manifested in the Christ, the head of the congregation we are being urged to return to. Does the article mention Jesus in a leadership role? No. The leadership being referred to are men in positions of responsibility in the organization, the Governing Body, and its representatives.
Imagine you’re the CEO of a large, multinational organization and you learn of a memo going out to all employees urging them to follow the lead of middle management, loyally support their managers and accept whatever direction comes from them, because that’s what the owner of the corporation wants. Yet there is no mention whatsoever of your position or authority? They have just cut you out of the equation altogether. How would you feel? What would you do?
It’s easy to lap up milk. We don’t have to exert ourselves, just drink in what is feed to us. But solid food takes some work. Why are so many of us willing to drink the milk where there is far more nutritious food at hand? Food for mature people, food for adults.
Why aren’t more of us asking, “Where’s the beef?”
I was wondering if you ever considered changing the page layout of you website?
Its very well written;I love what youve got to say. But maybe you
could a little more in the way of contet
so eople could connect with it better. Youve got an awful lot of text for only having 1
or 2 pictures. Maybe you could sspace it out better?
All I can say is a big thanks for the beef ! Although I like beef I’m getting bit worry about what this “beef feast” will do to my digestion. Mama says drink only milk and she gets angry if you disobey.
Just another point on Par. 6 – “Come, you people, and let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah,” Where it says “God is giving all sorts of people the opportunity to gain “an accurate knowledge of truth,” to act on that knowledge, and to be saved. Precious lives are at stake.” We are then to read 1 Timothy 2:3, 4, after which the paragraph goes on to say “Soon—even suddenly—time will run out. When it does, how glad we will be that we kept busy in the Kingdom preaching work!” The only problem with 1 Timothy 2:3, 4… Read more »
“Soon, Jehovah’s day will come. Now is the time to return to our heavenly Father’s loving arms and to the congregation—the only safe haven in these last days.—Deut. 33:27; Heb. 10:24, 25.” – (w13 11/15, p. 14, par. 17, How Can We Maintain “a Waiting Attitude”?) So … if you are not a Jehovah’s Witness in the organization, then you are going to die. (What I refer to as the JW hellfire teaching) Of course this article is just the introduction leading up to next week’s article that will tell us: “All of us must be ready to obey any… Read more »
Thanks. Excellent points. I will use them in next weekend’s post.
Meleti
Of course we all know where this is leading to. Absolute obedience. It’s the whole point of this succession of five studies giving ultimate power to the elders in obedience to the eight dukes (subliminally the new vicars of Christ). How will we ever say that we didn’t make the same wicked presumption as the church of Rome? Does history repeat itself? Most assuredly! Now my greatest fear is realized! By holding out the enticing office of organizational ‘shepherd’ in pretense of the kindly, caring one Jesus asked of Peter, this is in reality a position to be aggressively pursued… Read more »
I’ve pretty much always principally objected to the “reaching out” philosophy. The problem being the default type of person it is going to attract. It is aptly illustrated in politics. A political office is supposedly one of public service. A politician is supposed to be one of those people who steps up to help address the problems people face. Yet, rarely, if ever do you get that type of helpful person in politics. It attracts extrovert, selfish, ambitious, corrupt, narcissists with a god complex. The system is built around grandstanding, scratching backs and stabbing them, plus of course placating the… Read more »
Sargon, you’ve found points I missed. This is why the comments section is so valuable. It is all the more clear that this article, in fact the whole issue, is all about getting us to put our complete trust in men.
Another comment on the article. Apparently Jesus has gone AWOL during the last days. I thought he had been given all authority. Why were we not once told to follow his direction and trust in him for salvation during today’s WT? I love Jehovah. But shouldn’t this be Jesus’ organization? Is he not head of the congregation? Apparently not. We’ve undermined and minimized the authority and great honor the Father has given him. Also a HUGE awkward moment when a sister corrected the WT conductor. There was confusion when someone commented about the sealing of the anointed. The conductor tried… Read more »
Sargon…. I hate to say this out loud…. but it as if they have replaced Jesus. In all of the paragraphs that Meleti referred to above these imperfect men (but godfearing men according to our song) are leading us. There’s no mention of Jesus. They state constantly over and over that underJehovah’s direction They And whomever they appoint (elders, MS) are in charge of the congregation. Our prayer today went on and on about blessing the brothers taking the lead. Jesus’model prayer was limited to praise, thanksgiving, petition of our Father. Why are we always asking Jehovah to bless administrative… Read more »
Your thought about “saying it out loud” strikes a chord with me. Isn’t it a real problem after you have been trained to keep your mouth shut, because you fear of speaking against the chosen ones/anoited, working against Jesus brothers and Gods purpose, being classed a modern day Korah, Dathan and Abiram? These are exactly the things I expressed to an elder who was kind enough to talk to me about these things. None of us wants to overstep that mark at all! Yet, as you said, on a basic level how many of our meetings are actually directing glory… Read more »
I really appreciated your comment Joel. Jehovah must have known I needed to hear that today. Previously, I thought that the only reason I have stayed in the organization thus far was because of my husband tearfully pleading with me not to leave.( he fears that I may become apostate) . However, I realize that it is more than just that. I do not know a community of people on earth who are dedicated to serving Jehovah …even if their loyalties are at the moment misplaced. I pray for the awakening of my brothers but I realize that I am… Read more »
Thank you for saying so, I’m glad if anything I can say will offer some encouragement and to be honest your reply made my day. I am in the same boat as yourself and I’m certain that it is why many of us have come across this site. I was delighted to happen on this blog during my research and find others of like mind talking in a measured way about the exact types of things that have been on my mind. There are so so many that we could talk about them all year non-stop I am sure … Read more »
GodsWordIsTruth, You will find that the Christian community is not as un-biblical as the organization would like you to believe. In fact, I have found that many churches choose only to use the bible as their basis of information. Imagine my surprise when the entire sermon came directly and only from the scriptures, with a firm emphasis on allowing God’s word to speak to you. They even put the word up on screens so that there is no way one in attendance will miss what is being said. Granted there are churches that are not so soundly rooted in the… Read more »
Speaking to the songs we sing… Song 125 is another song my list of “Singing praises about the organization and the GB”
“God provides his steward and his active force.
These will ever guide us in our Christian course.
So may we be steadfast, seeking God to please,
Loyally proclaiming all his wise decrees! ”
Again… where is the praise and worship to our Father in this song?
Thank you again for your words of wisdom. Your comments mirrored my thoughts as I studied the article. There is very little scriptural support for any of the statements made in our study. I think you hit the nail on the head when you said it’s easy to lap up the milk. We’re all so bogged down with “stuff” going on in our lives and the congregations that at times it seems too much effort is required to get to the true meat. I know I have found myself in that situation recently. That’s why your site is so refreshing.… Read more »
Too true, Dorcas. It is dismaying who we can take a simple phrase like “they are saying” and extrapolate a world wide proclamation of nations. With no other scriptural cross-references, this is just the widest of speculation, yet we lap it up.
Thanks for sharing.
Something to consider about the Peace and Security is what Paul wrote in 2 Thess 2: 1-3 2Th 2:1 However, brothers, respecting the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered together to him, we request of YOU 2Th 2:2 not to be quickly shaken from YOUR reason nor to be excited either through an inspired expression or through a verbal message or through a letter as though from us, to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here. 2Th 2:3 Let no one seduce YOU in any manner, because it will not come unless the apostasy… Read more »
Hi IJA
It’s an interesting thought. How do you link the two things so directly though? You said “the two events are not independent of one another”. What is it that makes them dependent on each other?
In one letter Paul links P&S with destruction. In the other he links the MOL with Christ’s presence and the day of the Lord. What is it that links the MOL with P&S?
Apollos
Are we to expect a literal cry of peace and security? Not necessarily. In 1 Thesalonians 5:1 we are told that we do not need anything written to us concerning times and seasons. Why? Because as verse 2 shows we already know that Jesus is coming as a thief in the night. We are not in darkness (verse 4) and we should not be sleeping as the rest do (verse 6). So who cries peace and security? It’s possible that this cry is used to illustrate the spiritually asleep condition of the nations. If there is peace and security, does… Read more »
One of the last great moments of prophetic insight attributed to the governing body has been held to be “Peace, Can it Last?” This was the public talk title of the 1942 Convention, after the United States had declared War against the axis powers.
“When they are saying peace and security” is at one and the same time the denial of fulfillment of Knorr’s vision and the condition we will eventually remember as prevailing before the day of Jehovah.
What irony!
Good point. I think they put way much emphasis on this one verse (1The 5:3).
An excellent analysis of the verse, Sargon. Thanks for breaking it down for us. Your explanation fits and is completely consistent with the rest of the inspired record with regard to the end of times. I’m sure the GB would reject it however, because it doesn’t provide yet another means for them to incite us to look for signs, which makes us dependent on them as the one and only interpreter of the signs. The Lord’s clear warning not to fall asleep but remain awake and vigilant because no one knows when the hour will arrive just won’t cut it.… Read more »
Also the bible does not say that there is a “cry” or proclamation of peace and security. We made that up to enhance the scripture to fit our views. The verse actually says, “Whenever they are saying,” or “When they say (Byington).” To me this scripture seems to be talking not about a proclamation, but a viewpoint. Just as when Jesus asked “who are they saying I am?” Also it seems like Paul is alluding to God’s prophets who denounced those saying there is peace, when there is no peace.
Excellent breakdown of the watchtower Meleti. If I didn’t have this article I have no idea how I would have endured the Watchtower today. Your comments about the paragraphs are spot on. The line in paragraph 16 rubbed me the wrong way…”Really, he has always done good toward us. Even if we are not living up to our dedication to him, he allows us to enjoy the good things he provides. ” It reminded me of your article “Membership has it’s privileges”. Why does being inactive with the organization mean that your relationship with Jehovah is in jeopardy? Why has… Read more »
That part of the paragraph leaped out at me also. Jesus said quite simply “I am the WAY and the TRUTH and the LIFE, no one comes to the father except through ME”.
You are absolutely right Joel. They are substituting themselves for Christ. The problem is that the GB is above counsel. Who checks their hand? Iron sharpens Iron. If they are all on the same page …where is the sharpening ? I’m not sure how they come up with the final draft of interpretation of scripture… is it put to a vote ? I cannot believe it is possible that all eight of them are really buying into the information that they are putting out in the publications. Then again it is their organization I guess they can do what they… Read more »
This has been a pet peeve with me for some time. Now that all the elders have an inbox on jw.org, it would be very easy for the GB to consult at least a small cross-section of the elders before printing a new understanding or policy. They also could invite the elders to express themselves on anything that concerns them. Yet, this ‘multitude of counselors’ is a resource never tapped. Why? Is it disdain for the opinions of the rank and file, or is it fear that, if they’re seen to consult the masses, their halo will disappear?
Good point. I looked for some scriptural reference to support their statement that the ‘congregation is the only safe haven today’, but could find nothing. Since the majority of the tests of faith we all have faced have originated from within the congregation, one can see why the Bible never refers to it as a safe haven. Jesus and his Father are our only consistently safe havens. We do get support and help from brothers and sisters, but not as a collective. The spirit works through individuals not multinational corporations, institutions or organizations.
A good reminder, Meleti. That the congregation is the only safe haven today, it is quite the opposite from a Biblical view. What were the epistles of Paul and others about but the greater dangers and troubles within? In fact the entire Bible is about the dangers within the families and congregation as expressed in Micah: (Micah 2:3-5) . . .“Therefore this is what Jehovah has said, ‘Here I am thinking up against this family a calamity from which you people will not remove your necks, so that you will not walk haughtily; because it is a time of calamity. 4 In that… Read more »
I’m increasingly skeptical of scriptural backup for a lot of the teachings we digest. I often see a point in a paragraph and think to myself ” oh really? I wonder what the cited scripture says?” and then I look it up and find that if there is any link at all to the point being made, it is so abstracted that reconciling it would require another study, or the reason is completely lost on me. To your point though about the congregation of Jehovahs Witnesses being the only safe haven, the “Noahs Ark” simile, not only is there no… Read more »
Very nicely put, Joel. We are in complete agreement.
I also like the way Jesus phrased that. ‘He who isn’t against us is for us.’ So much more positive and inclusive than George W. Bush’s infamous, “You’re either with us, or against us.”
Plus “dedication” is not mentioned in the Bible anyway… I am always annoyed when Wt uses that term and connects it with baptism.
Thank you for that. I never thought about that pairing before. This is how bias creeps in. We accept as a given something taught to us a children and then it colors all our understanding on that topic. We don’t even think to question the premise, until one day someone draws it to our attention and boom! We have to go back and reevaluate everything built up on that mistaken premise.
Yes. Here is a good article about this subject: http://perimeno.ca/Dedication.htm
Good point. If we have already had 100 years of kingdom rule and the kingdom rules for 1,000 years, then we only have 900 left. How would we rate the first 100 years of Jesus’ rule? What has he accomplished during the first 10% of his rulership period? What a sad commentary our misinterpretation forces upon Jesus. We say that the hellfire doctrine is a god-dishonoring teaching, and it is. But are we not dishonoring the rulership of our king by claiming he’s already been ruling for 100 years and yet we’ve had 100 years of the wars, pestilences and… Read more »
Par. 18: “Elders in more than 100,000 congregations shepherd God’s sheep on a personal level. (Acts 20:28) When we loyally support those appointed to take the lead, we express our appreciation to Jehovah and Jesus for all that they have done for us.” So who will we follow? God’s word and spirit as we know it? The explicit instructions of Jesus? The Governing Body? The elders? Our God-trained conscience? Thank you Meleti once again for laying out the logical dilemma posed for those hungary to chew on some spiritual meat. About July of 1974, the Daily News came out with… Read more »
Speaking of 40 years ago, if you remember the excitement with which we received this information at Yankee Stadium in 1973 and studied it in our Book Study meeting in 1974, it makes today’s WT a little hard to accept: *** tp73 chap. 7 p. 73 par. 4 When Will the Foretold World Destruction Come? *** 4 Among the information contained in the Bible regarding our day is the following: (1) Identification of a specific year as the time when God would give rulership over the “kingdom of mankind” to “the one whom he wants to.” (2) Listing of significant events that… Read more »
I remember we used to have special Awake! issues in October. I think twice a year actually, April? and October. (Correct me if I’m wrong.) In any case, there was one about the time the U.S. got out of Vietnam that featured the Peace and Security prophecy. Then of course, there was the book you mentioned. This coincided with the 1975 build up. Our expectations were at a fever pitch. The “disconfirmation” of those apocalyptic expectations caused many to leave the organization, but others just ramped up the proselytizing campaign, which is commonly how this process works. But there is… Read more »