The purpose of this recurring post is to provide a brief summary of each issue of The Watchtower studied throughout 2014. It is our hope to thus provide some insight into the true nature of the “food at the proper time” provided to Jehovah’s Witnesses
w13 11/15 (December 30 – February 2)
THEME: Be obedient to our leadership because Armageddon is close.
Article 1: Advice on Prayer. The end is near.
Article 2: Don’t doubt. Be patient. The end is near.
Article 3: Obedience. Salvation depends on staying in the Organization.
Article 4: Obedience. Salvation depends on obeying the elders.
Article 5: Counsel to elders.
w13 12/15 (February 3 – March 2)
THEMES: Don’t doubt us. Avoid apostates. Make sacrifices. You are not to partake.
Article 1: Beware apostates.
Article 2: Donate to and serve the Organization.
Article 3: We have the right date. You shouldn’t partake.
Article 4: As in article 3, right date, don’t partake.
w14 1/14 (March 3 – April 6)
THEMES: We’re in the last days. The end is near. Make sacrifices.
Article 1: 1914 is true, Jehovah is king since then. (Christ too.)
Article 2: Authority of Governing Body reaffirmed. Don’t doubt.
Article 3: Make sacrifices.
Article 4: Make sacrifices because the end is near.
Article 5: New proof that the end is near (“this generation’ – Take 7).
w14 2/14 (April 7 – May 4)
THEMES: We are special. It’s good to be one of the other sheep. Stick to the Organization.
Article 1: Partial prophetic misapplication of Ps. 45 to reinforce role of anointed.
Article 2: Partial prophetic misapplication of Ps. 45 to reinforce role of other sheep.
Article 3: Stick with the Organization to get God’s protection.
Article 4: Reinforce teaching that other sheep are not God’s children.
w14 3/14 (May 5 – June 1)
THEMES: Make sacrifices. Don’t get discouraged. Provide for the Elderly and full-timers.
Article 1: Be self-sacrificing.
Article 2: Don’t be discouraged by failed expectations.
Article 3: Provide for elderly, but help full-timers avoid this duty.
Article 4: More instruction on helping the elderly.
Every move made by wbts is a shrewd one centrally focused on making a profit. It has 2 be. They are real estate moguls! Lets face it, big business doesnt get much bigger. Everyone knows catholicism is the worlds wealthiest religion. This is just a theory: over the decades despite our best efforts 2 look different from our arch-nemesis ‘the catholic church,’ we somehow some way began 2 mirror &mimic them. Excommunication, vows of poverty, child abuse cover-ups, amassing wealth, clergy/laity subtleties, & our latest endorsement of a sanitized version of tithing. I sat at the hall next 2 another… Read more »
Dear Friends, Just wanted to share something a bit disturbing, at least to me it is, perhaps someone can give me a bit of insight on this…Haven’t been to a meeting in a good while. Anyway, long story short, we get a phone call informing us that if we want to go to the upcoming District Convention, we need to “hurry up and purchase your parking ticket.” Seems that any vehicle that does not have a parking ticket will not be allowed to enter facility here in Southeast Texas. Also, any friends with ‘mobility issues’ will be required to rent… Read more »
I was thinking the same thing. In my financial management class, when one approaches retirement they would do exactly what the watchtower is doing. Choose investments that supply regular income, sell large expensive home and move to a smaller one. The watchtower has demographics we are not privy too. Likely they see that growth in western countries has declined and the membership is aging. I also think that there is a battle at headquarters between those who believe the end is very near, and those who don’t. The ones who don’t believe the end is near may want to take… Read more »
Not that iknow much about convention parking silvertop but its obvious to me that the society have done a deal for the parking at the arena site it makes good buisness sense to buy in bulk then sell them on individually to the brothers there will probably be a marginal profit in this even if they are cheaper than for a normal event .i suppose they reason that the brothers money is better of in the societies pocket than anyone elses. I think the sad thing in all this is that the religion seems to be becoming much more money… Read more »
good article Meleti
you take Jesus authority over the org you are doomed by the Pharisee’s ruled organization!
Point taken, thanks.
Also, I apologize to you, Silvertop, and thank you for the kind correction, Meleti.
Saskawoo, truth is, I’ve only just now read your statement. I accept your apology, no worries. Besides, opinions are like noses…everybody’s got one. 🙂
Silvertop
SilverTop, you said “I am grateful for a site like this where I feel I receive real Christian fellowship and genuine concern and love.” These words have proved to be so encouraging for me today. A kind sister rang me this afternoon and quoted Hebrews 10:25 and asked me what I thought of Paul’s words about not forsaking our meeting together. (I haven’t been at the Kingdom Hall for about six months.) Anyway I thought about what the sister said and felt a bit downhearted and then read your words and realised that I am gathering with fellow believers here… Read more »
Most JW do not think for themselves they have the org doing all that for them, its become like a regime of mind control, and the will go along because its easy, safe and lazy.
During this season we have not received a single article about the love of God and Christ and how that should move us to show love to others. No articles showing the superiority and power of faith. No articles encouraging us to be thankful for the gift of everlasting life. Just paranoia and guilt based articles. No wonder the congregations are quickly losing the loving spirit. People either read these articles and feel guilty and depressed or they completely tune them out.
You, my dear Sargon, have stated beautifully the feeling of many I’m sure. I haven’t been to a meeting in about three weeks now, didn’t go this morning. The Watchtower magazine has become a means to “guilt” people into compliance with the Watchtower leadership. However, I also feel that it is just a matter of time before Jesus, as head of the Christian congregation acts to “clean house” and then we will see a return to TRUE Biblical teachings and genuine Christian love in the Kingdom Halls. I am grateful for a site like this where I feel I receive… Read more »
So the problem isn’t with the organization, its with Jesus, who is delaying “fixing” things? I dont mean to be rude but isn’t that just a little presumptuous? And why, of all religions, would this one be worthy of some kind of special treatment? Unfortunately, it is no different from all the rest. The revolutionary thing about Jesus was his emphasis on the responsibility of the individual (in my opinion). I am sorry but I just dont see the organization changing in the way you describe, SilverTop. Maybe i am wrong, but one of the things I’ve always had trouble… Read more »
I should add the “wait on Jehovah” statement always makes me slightly uncomfortable, as though we are saying “well we WOULD have everything figured out, except JEHOVAH hasn’t conformed to our timeline yet”. Ugh… Just, so uncomfortable. 🙁
Hi Saskawoo,
I understand your feelings and I even agree. But we mustn’t let our own frustrations color our speech or we run the risk of giving offense.
(Colossians 4:6) . . .Let your words always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you will know how you should answer each person.
Especially so is this with the written word in a public forum. I say this to myself as much as to anyone else.
Nice caring comment silvertop thanks very much i would certainly go back if there was a return to genuine love .kev
The above example serves as an interesting illustration of the difference between those having received a spirit of slavery causing fear again, and those having received a spirit of adoption as sons, and the glorious freedom associated with it.
Perfect love throws fear outside, because fear exercises a restraint.
If the fear of God is the start of wisdom, the love of God cannot but be the end of it.
Indeed, he that is under fear has not yet been made perfect in love; now there
is something beautiful to look forward to.
We love because He first loved us.
Could be just the way we are apollos our individual make up moulded by genetics and experience .im different they would have a hardjob trying to put me on a guilt trip .Kev
Meleti- I know that this section was designed but this article to discuss they study articles but I decided to read the article “They Offered Themselves willingly—In the Philippines” first. I was an avid reader of the magazines up until about 4 months ago…. I came across the paragraph in the very beginning of the article… “I FELT THAT I WAS ROBBING JEHOVAH” “Relates Marilou: “My new job demanded so much of my time and energy that my appetite for spiritual activities diminished. I felt that I was robbing Jehovah.” She explains: “I could no longer give Jehovah the time… Read more »
Whenever I am trying to understand my relationship with Jehovah, I try to use the example of a father with a son. After all, the simile is not mine, but Christ’s. To rob someone, you must be taking what is theirs. What righteous father feels his children owe him indentured service? Any father expects his children to show him respect and honor. A good father has a right to expect that. He also expects them to live by the code of conduct he imparted to them; to use the gifts they possess to the best of their ability. All of… Read more »
Exactly. Whoever this couple “related” this experience to…. they could have given them encouragement like you have outlined in your comment . ( It could have perhaps changed the whole subject matter of the article )Instead it was reprinted for all publishers to read to reinforce the idea that we may be guilty of robbing God. The title says that they “willingly” offered service but is seems they did so primarily out of guilt.
The weird thing is that, even when you can see through it, the tactic still works. It’s like one of those optical illusions that, even when you know your eye is being tricked, your brain still sees the effect. Despite agreeing with your comments absolutely, I can still be made to feel guilty about not doing enough service through articles like these. Maybe some of us are more predisposed to be guilted into things than others. I didn’t used to read these life stories much, but now I tend to do so. It’s usually when there is a lull in… Read more »