We have just begun to study the Imitate Their Faith book in the congregation Bible Study which is part of our midweek meeting. I admit I haven’t read it, but my wife has and says it makes for a nice, easy read. It takes the form of Bible stories rather than a Bible commentary. The problem, she says, is that there is a good deal of speculation and supposition in the book. This brings to mind something from years ago when I used to watch Wimbledon tennis matches. The American announcers would often ask what the player was thinking during a tense moment in the match.
Announcer 1: “What do you think is going through McEnroe’s mind right now?”
Announcer 2 (usually an ex-player): “Well, he’s gotta be thinking about that last error. He’s probably kicking himself for missing such an easy volley.”
Who knows what McEnroe had on his mind right then? Maybe he was thinking, “I really shouldn’t have eaten that second burrito for lunch.”
The fact is, it’s annoying enough in something as trivial as a tennis match, but when we try to think what a Bible character was thinking, and then drawing conclusions from that which we are supposed to use to learn life lessons, we are getting into dangerous territory. This is especially the case when dealing with a naïve and credulous flock who thinks nothing of taking the most casual assumption and turning it into life altering Bible doctrine.
Here’s a case in point from last week’s study.
7 Exiled to life outside the garden, Adam and Eve found their existence hard. Yet, when their first child was born, they named him Cain, or “Something Produced,” and Eve proclaimed: “I have produced a man with the aid of Jehovah.” Her words suggest that she may have had in mind the promise Jehovah made in the garden, foretelling that a certain woman would produce a “seed,” or offspring, who would one day destroy the wicked one who had led Adam and Eve astray. (Gen. 3:15; 4:1) Did Eve imagine that she was the woman in the prophecy and that Cain was the promised “seed”?
8 If so, she was sadly mistaken. What is more, if she and Adam fed Cain such ideas as he grew up, they surely did his imperfect human pride no good. In time, Eve bore a second son, but we find no such high-flown statements about him. They named him Abel, which may mean “Exhalation,” or “Vanity.” (Gen. 4:2) Did that choice of a name reflect lower expectations, as if they put less hope in Abel than in Cain? We can only guess.
9 Parents today can learn much from those first parents. By your words and actions, will you feed your children’s pride, ambition, and selfish tendencies? Or will you teach them to love Jehovah God and to seek friendship with him? Sadly, the first parents failed in their responsibility. Yet, there was hope for their offspring. [Italics added]
(ia chap. 1 pp. 10-11 pars. 7-9)
My apologies for all the italics but there is just so much speculation and guessing in these three paragraphs that it’s unavoidable.
The point of this is to show that we are being instructed by the Governing Body with the so-called “food at the proper time” based on outright conjecture and (by their own admission) guesswork. We can all agree that it is not good to feed a child’s pride, ambition, and selfish tendencies; but to try to make an object lesson out of a single phrase uttered by Eve at childbirth is laughable. This leads us to presume that she and Adam fed Cain’s pride and ambition, while denigrating Abel. Cain becomes the spoilt favorite child while Abel is ignored and marginalized.
All Eve said was, “I have produced a man with the aid of Jehovah.” Any one of us can come up with several plausible scenarios that would justify such an utterance. The fact is we have no way of knowing exactly what she meant. We also have no way of knowing if she thought she was the woman of Genesis 3:15. We also have no way of proving that she wasn’t. Did she feel enmity to the creature who had deceived her and ruined her life, reducing her to misery and hard labor? In all likelihood, she did. Did the promised seed come from her womb? He sure did. The Bible doesn’t say that the woman would be around when the seed came into existence and fought with Satan.
Nevertheless, given the book’s frank admission that this is all guesswork, you have only to attend a Kingdom hall and listen to the comments to know that the brothers and sisters eat this food up, assuming it is from the Lord and part of the “framework of truth” that is our belief system.
How sad, given the richness and depth of the inspired word of God and the many areas we have never explored as Witnesses, that we spend a half hour every week studying a what is little more than a novel.
Last night at the meeting there was a perfect example of conflating speculation and fact. The elder who was conducting the study said that Abram was never mixed up in worship at the ziggurat. How do we know this? Since Terah was an idolater it is likely that Abram was raised to worship the Moon God. He was not called on by God to leave Ur until he was an old man. Perhaps at some point he came in contact with Shem or another of Shem’s descendants and converted to Jehovah worship. This is the problem when you start speculating.… Read more »
The closing speaker at our last circuit assembly used this speculative Cain theme for the Las Vegas Circuit. I was smitten. How could someone extrapolate so much supposition from a single scripture? I’m surprised to hear it is included in the WT canon. I thought it was the brother’s personal viewpoint used as an opening illustration, not new dogma!
With all the fuss over this book, I decided to read some of it this morning for the first time. Wow, this book is so simplistic, I am beside myself. There is so little real information, expressed in so few words, one could easily read the whole thing in an hour. And they are going to make all the congregations in the world meticulously study this thing for months on end? The language they use is so simple, it seems like their target readers must be 12 year olds. It is easy to visualize this as a comic book, or… Read more »
The Governing Body is a spiritual desert. They have no water, no food.
Even the material they recycle from the previous generation is diminished. What more can be expected from men who had the temerity, the gall, to teach the overlapping generation nonsense.
There is something very wrong with the Governing Body.
Just reading the comments about eve as has been said every time the woman is mentioned in genesis 3 it seems to be refering to eve herself . Thus giving good reason to think that verse 15 is also concerning eve . However the seed mentioned seems to be christ . I think its interesting though that the sentence passed on her as an individual ie the chronic child birth pain which ties in with bearing seed has been passed on to womankind in general . So it could well be that as eve was the first woman she is… Read more »
Sorry to take us away from your article meleti , but i was studying 1 john 2 this evening along with bible commentries . It was very interesting indeed it seems likely that 1 john 2 v16 where it says the showy display of ones means of life is translated in other bibles as the pride of life could be refering to the human trait of those who seek to dominate and control others because of thier pride . Seems to make sense to me this certainly is one of the traits of the world that john warned about .… Read more »
hi, regarding 1 John 2:16, the word used for showy display (or as In some translations, pride of life) can mean: LSJ Gloss: ἀλαζονεία false pretension, imposture, quackery Dodson: ἀλαζονεία boasting, show, arrogant display boasting, show, arrogant display, ostentation; plur: occasions of ostentation. Strong’s: ἀλαζονεία braggadocio, i.e. (by implication) self-confidence Derivation: from G213; KJV Usage: boasting, pride. G213 Thayer: 1) empty, braggart talk 2) an insolent and empty assurance, which trusts in its own power and resources and shamefully despises and violates divine laws and human rights 3) an impious and empty presumption which trusts in the stability of earthy… Read more »
I believe the NWT is actually not all that bad when it says “showy display”; it’s a reasonable translation. But you make a good point, which is that much of this Greek word involves not only being “showy” but of being prideful and boasting about it. The person doing this is not merely making a “show” out of their life or their life’s possessions, but they are bragging about how great these are. They are self-centered egotists, demanding attention to themselves and everything about themselves.
Thanks for this insight, it is quite illuminating.
Yeah thanks . Just looked at it again and perhaps i may have read a bit more into it than i should to be fair . The actual words in the commentry were the idea behind the pride of life is a person who lives for superiority over others mostly by impressing others through outward appearance .even if deceptive . Its the studylight . Org commentry on 1 john 2 v16 . Checked out the greek word as well .like you menrov and there may well be some pointers there as well where it says that this person trusts in… Read more »
I also love when brothers and sisters talk about you known those Hollywood films like Noah or the New Exodus film and say “Oh no that is not what the Bible Says” granted it is true, bur those people are the same ones that buy this book as it was the Bible…Sad. Hey I enjoy those films, they big epic films do they add a bunch of things, yup, but as big Hollywood films i dig them, but i know they don’t follow the bible and add a lot of things, but the So called Truth ( JW Organization and… Read more »
I used to say, “Wouldn’t it be great if the organization made films. Then we’d see the Bible accurately depicted.” Then we get the Jesus video from this year’s regional assembly. How very disappointing that was. Not only did they add much that wasn’t there, but even the things they did depict were skewed from what is plainly stated. The bible videos that the Mormons put out are far more faithful to the actual account than anything the Organization has produced. I don’t endorse the Mormon theology at all, but credit should be given where credit is due.
I beg to disagree my brother, oir Jesus video this summer was something Special , when the so called character talking about Jesus back in the day, said in his introduction and ” You will see that Jehovah’s Witnesses have the truth”, that is 150 percent correct. Even if Yahweh name never appears in any Greek scriptures and the Witness’s name was not put into place until 1931,
😉
Cracking study Meleti, I got thinking that Abel sets a nice and simple example to us. To simply just hold Jehovah in the natural and right respect, to obey and, to love Him. I got thinking, as I read the piece, just how much had been extrapolated from the information we are given in the Bible. And it is dangerous to conject something that may or may not have been thought, felt and experienced at the time. I was reminded how we can see too much in something which is or isn’t there – such as the codes you get… Read more »
Yes Brenda, very true – the Holy word, not Holly wood! Maybe they don’t know the difference anymore?
Yes, thank you for finally getting to this book, when I brought the topic up months ago on Discuss the truth I mentioned this was the book we were going to finally get around to. Almost 3 years since we got it but hey its time to get that spiritual food…Right. Some points….. 1. On the first day that we did the book, we Had, again we Had to read the Letter by the Governing Body, ( it is before the actual introduction) yes the kingdom ministry said we had to read it, look it up your self… amazing. And… Read more »
What on earth are they teaching now . Why fabricate stories about imperfect individuals in the bible in the first place . Especially ones from the old testament . This is a red herring . For goodness sakes we are supposed to be following jesus christ . Why not just study the New testament gospels through word by word in context at the meeting and lets take in accurate knowledge of the son of god . We may have a chance of being like him then . What happened to john 17 ; 3 this is the main problem with… Read more »
Matthew Henry says, ‘When Cain was born, Eve said, I have gotten a man from the Lord. Perhaps she thought that this was the promised seed. If so she was woefully disappointed.’ This is very similar to the words used in the Imitate Their Faith book. If you think that was speculative, look at the chapter on Noah
Making comparisons with Biblehub commentators in these scriptures, it seems many of the ideas come from there, so not original with the WT writers
Thanks for the article Meleti. I was sitting in the meeting last night wondering if you would post an article on this book. Two questions struck me: 1. Paragraph 17 speaks of the cherubs being materialized. Is this in the bible? And where does it state that it was the same two cherubs that kept to their posts for thousands of years? 2. Paragrapy 27 says that Abel’s life span was about a century long. If he was 100 years old, died before 3896 BCE (see timeline in front cover) he’d have been born in 3996 BCE, making Adam 30… Read more »
Out of Africa,
I believe in the years leading up to 1975 the Watchtower taught that the 7th Day of Rest started AFTER the creation of Eve (God working until her creation). With the Bible record being silent as to how long Adam was alone until her creation it was thought there would be an unaccounted for lapse of time until the actual end of the 6th and beginning of the 7th day. They attempted a guess as to how long that would be but failed.
I would add another comment. The Watchtower writer would have done himself and all the brothers a favor if he had continued reading… (Brenton) And Adam knew Eve his wife, and she conceived and bore a son, and called his name Seth, saying, For God has raised up to me another seed instead of Abel, whom Cain slew.” (Gen. 4:25) Eve did not refer to Cain as her “seed” (H2233), but rather the “seed”, according to the scripture, was Abel. Seth being the one who replaced Abel as the “seed”. A fitting designation since Seth’s line gives birth to the… Read more »
What a good catch, Deborah. It would seem that we get nothing right. Even in little things, the JW doctrine is off the rails. You make an excellent point which adds weight to the argument that Eve is the woman referred to at Gen. 3:15, not the angelic host as the Watchtower claims.
That is interesting, but I am having trouble seeing the whole picture. If Eve is really the “woman” of note, was the literal serpent also addressed rather than Satan? What about the “enmity”? Was that really between Eve and the serpent? If the “woman” in 3:15 is not Eve, how should we understand this narrative?
We should bear in mind that the serpent was Satan’s avatar. The woman never saw Satan, nor could she see a spirit. Whether she understood who was behind the serpent or not is unclear. The Bible gives us no information beyond what is written, so it would appear that Jehovah did not clarify things for the women, but simply used the means Satan had utilized for his first protagonist in this prophetic drama. The serpent, who we now know was a mere puppet in the hands of the evil resister (satan) spirit, is the “person of the first part” and… Read more »
That all seems clear enough, but what about the enmity part? Was God putting enmity between Satan and Eve? How could that be? And why would He bother, anyway? Eve was condemned to die. What difference would it make if Eve and Satan didn’t get along? They were both enemies of God from His point of view. I will admit that the “Eve was the woman” concept has some interesting aspects going for it, but it seems like the idea needs to be fleshed out a little more to make it convincing. Anyone wishing to take on that task will… Read more »
It’s on my ever-growing to-do list. 🙂
One point to consider is that when Jehovah asked Eve why she ate? she said “the serpent deceived me so I ate”. Jehovah then turned to the serpent and said “because you have done this” indicating that he held satan ultimately responsible for what had just happened. After sentencing Adam and Eve to death, which he was obliged to do as his own law required it, He then went on to kill an animal and make clothing for Adam and Eve. This was not necessary for God to do. It was undeserved kindness. Jehovah didn’t make any kind gesture towards… Read more »
Eve is the “woman”, if we allow the text to speak for itself. The woman was deceived. She believed what a spirit person, described to us in scripture as a serpent, said to her. She allowed what he said to take root in her mind. She came to like it, wisdom it would bring. She was of course fooled since “wisdom” is found in obeying God- anything else is fool’s gold. But she bought it, took the fruit and ate. Here are a few interesting features of this inspired account: Eve thought that to merely touch the fruit was forbidden… Read more »
I don’t think we can attribute all that much to the fact that Eve did not “receive” a death sentence. The law about not eating was extremely clear, and, disregarding the part about not touching, she knew that eating would result in death. Note in the account, Eve says, “Of the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat. But as for [eating] of the fruit of the tree that is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘YOU must not eat from it, no, YOU must not touch it that YOU do not die.’” Note… Read more »
If the Genesis Adam and Eve account was merely a history of events I would agree. But from the start Genesis 2 reveals itself to be much more than that. What does God “Cause to Become” specifically in Genesis 2, the Key to life everlasting- Obedience leads to Life, Disobedience leads to Death. The symbolism in Genesis 2&3 is spread throughout. For instance, in Genesis 1 God said: (Gen 1:29) Then God said, “Behold, I have given you every plant yielding seed that is on the surface of all the earth, and every tree which has fruit yielding seed; it… Read more »
Hi:)
The “second death” is the only “true” death in which theres no resurrection according to the scriptures. I don’t believe we can surmise from scripture whether this was the death sentence given to the first pair.However, they did eventually die as God said that they would. . If Adam and Eve were sentenced to the second death as we teach from which there’s no resurrection from, then so do we. (offspring) Jesus’ blood lifted the sentence of death for all mankind. How can it not include Adam and/Eve? We all have sinned willfully.
In Genesis 3, “the woman” is mentioned 9 times. In all 8 times outside of verse 15, “the woman” is Eve. “The woman” is Eve in verse 13, right before, and verse 16, right after the prophecy about the seed. Where, pray tell, did this other-woman idea come from? How would the earnest Bible student know to take a right turn at verse 15, without a revelation?
I do not see any justification whatsoever for assigning a special identity to “the woman” in verse 15.
I love expository Bible study. It’s Bible study for the common man, not that you’re in any way common Andere. 🙂
Just thinking out loud: I wonder it it’s possible that Eve really was the woman that would have enmity with the serpent. Let’s say God really meant Eve rather than a purported heavenly organization. Is there then a reasonable way to understand this narrative? I think so … Consider that Eve was clearly deceived – both by her own admission, and as indicated by subsequent testimony in the NT that discussed her (2 Corinthians 11:3, 1 Timothy 2:14). That being so, and because Eve had in effect ‘taken sides’ with the serpent, could Eve have been further deceived into forming… Read more »
So true. Just shows that the Watchtower’s interpretation of Gen 3:15 and Revelation 12 is just more claptrap designed to prop up a false doctrine (1914 and all that) and their own self-ordained authority.
Technically speaking Eve was correct in thinking she was the woman in Genesis 3:15 as her DNA was present in the body of Jesus. The watchtowers own literature indicates this. Creator 1998 page 96 In recent years, scientists have researched human genes extensively. By comparing human genetic patterns around the earth, they found clear evidence that all humans have a common ancestor, a source of the DNA of all people who have ever lived, including each of us. In 1988, Newsweek magazine presented those findings in a report entitled “The Search for Adam and Eve.” Those studies were based on… Read more »
Hi D, well done. The book said: Did Eve imagine that she was the woman in the prophecy and that Cain was the promised “seed”?
Gen. 4:25 shows the reality: Thomson(i) 25 And Adam knew Eve his wife and she conceived and brought forth a son and called his name Seth, saying, “For God hath raised up for me another seed in the place of Abel whom Cain slew.”
So, to even consider tat Eve was thinking what is said in the Imitate book is ….well, nonsense.
Its even speculation to say whether Eve even heard that conversation between God & satan. She might not have even been aware of that Divine announcement about the promised seed
Ha! I can’t believe you just wrote this! I remember saying almost the EXACT same thing to my wife when I first read it upon its release two years ago. Actually, the rest of the book is pretty good, but I didn’t know if I was going to get past the first chapter when I first read it. How can this “example” be worthy of imitation when they’ve just invented most of the story? Of course Abel is to be imitated, but not based on their conjecture. The bible gives enough detail about Abel – stick to that! On a… Read more »
When this was first released, I was stunned by the amount of speculation contained in this publication. Speculation can have it’s place perhaps within the mind of one meditating on God’s word. But to move beyond imagining a hypothetical situation, into the territory of creating object lessons based on what COULD have happened, the authors might as well just add some new bible stories of living people at that time. Bible 1.5 “The Lost Years” might as well be the title. Easy to see as you said Meleti, this is “dangerous territory.” Especially when the question and answer type study… Read more »
All so true Meleti. At our meeting we enjoyed a comment that went like this:
“If it wasn’t for this book from the faithful slave we’d hardly know anything about Abel.”
It’d be funny if it weren’t so sad.
Thanks Apollos. I needed a good laugh today. But you’re right, it is also very sad that they will say such a thing without any idea of how ludicrous it sounds.
You mean, if it wasn’t for this book, we’d hardly have any unwarranted and unsubstantiated speculation. It’s one thing to “surmise” the events surrounding Abel, but without real facts, they don’t “know” anything at all beyond what the Bible states in writing. A slave that was truly “faithful” would be faithful to what the Bible says.
Oh but it gets better …. 16 Jehovah’s servants. Abel did not find any good examples in the human family, but humans were not the only intelligent creatures on the earth at that time. When Adam and Eve were expelled from the garden, Jehovah made sure that neither they nor their offspring would gain access to that earthly Paradise. To guard the entrance, Jehovah posted cherubs—very high-ranking angels—along with the flaming blade of a sword that turned continually.—Read Genesis 3:24. 17 Imagine what it was like for Abel to see those cherubs when he was a boy. In their materialized… Read more »
Thanks Shannon. “As Abel grew up, did he ever find that those cherubs got bored and left their post? No. Day and night, year after year, decade after decade, those intelligent, powerful creatures stayed right in that spot.” Fred Franz would not have tolerated this trash. He is “turning in his grave”. Again and again, what is presented for adult consumption is kindergarten babble- Caleb’s Dad sitting on his son’s bed delivering a child’s teaching moment- Caleb, the cherubs listened to Jehovah and did not get bored. So Caleb how can you and Sophia apply this lesson to the meetings?… Read more »
Deborah, I feel the first objective of the GB is to dumb down the R&F. They are avoiding the deeper things of God (1 Cor 2:10) because these days, deep thinkers in the audience are too savvy to have the wool pulled over their eyes. Sorry, been there done that. We will conduct our own due diligence, thank you. (Acts 17:11) I feel the second objective is to frustrate those of us who are offended by this twaddle….. to the point that we just can’t bear it. We become distressed. In all honesty, I couldn’t bring myself to comment on… Read more »
Thank you sopaterofberoea, you have expressed what is in the hearts of many JWs. Though we remain silent in the KH, we know we are not alone.
Your post was overwhelming in the brutal truth of it. You spoke the truth as Jesus spoke the truth…that not all is right with those who claim to be leaders of God’s people.
I found your post very encouraging, thank you again.
Deborah
Sopater, I think you’re absolutely right about the “dumbing down” of the RnF. We can see it in the shorter meetings, shorter articles, reduced time allowed to answer, emphasis on just answering the question and getting to the point. WT has turned their religion into “JW Lite”. (Still a great waste of time, but now less satisfying.). With books like this, “Studies in the Scriptures” has morphed into “Highlights for Children”.
However, the inspired word clearly says that in later times some will fall away from the faith,, paying attention to “misleading inspired statements”.1 Timothy 4:1-2 Sounds just like the new book .
I thought the exact same thing while reading paragraphs 10-18 of the same chapters. Nothing but speculation, and this time it isn’t even admitted but presented as fact
I agree Meleti, very much so.
The Writing Dept has been producing inferior material for some time now. Perhaps the writers of the Caleb videos are doing double duty and an infusion of new writers is in order.
A suggested Ad in the NYT:
Christian Fiction Writers Needed- No Experience Necessary- Some Bible Knowledge Helpful but Optional- apply at Brooklyn Watchtower.
Very funny. Also, it’s regrettably true.
So true! These fanciful stories remind me of some the aprochrpha type “stories”. The devil is sneaky. This is comparable to the Devil’s ” Is it really so that God said……..”
Yes so true, just as 2 Thess 2:4 says: He is set in opposition and lifts himself up over everyone who is called “god” or an object of reverence, so that he sits down in the temple of The God, publicly showing himself to be a god
In regards to 2 Thessalonians 2: If the man of lawlessness is Christendom as taught by the watchtower, how is it that Christendom is preaching that Jesus Christ is yet to come ? In other words Christendom is not exclaiming that Jehovah’s day is here nor is Christendom saying that Christ has already come, So how can the watchtower possibly conclude that Christendom is the man of lawlessness ? If one does a little research they will soon find out that the only ones that have been professing that Jehovah’s day has already come is none other than the watchtower… Read more »
It does seem that the ‘quality’ of this so-called spiritual ‘food’ is degenerating over time, such that WT publications contain less and less biblical truth, and more and more human reasoning. One of the worst things a religious leader can say is, “I THINK”. What difference does it make what humans THINK? Must less, GUESS? The only thing that really matters is, WHAT DOES THE BIBLE ACTUALLY SAY. To paraphrase Jesus, anything in excess of that is from the wicked one.
I completely agree. Stick to the bible. Speculating and reasoning on certain passages of scripture is all very well in personal discussions when it is offered as an open minded opinion – that’s all part of the process of seeking truth and understanding, but not when it is delivered as spiritual food from an unassailable leadership which cannot be questioned, claims to be spirit directed (but repeatedly proves false to that power) and then changes it’s mind when it suits their purposes. How does the saying go? I would rather have questions I can’t answer than answers I can’t question.
I never heard that saying before, but it fits perfectly. WT has an official stance that they project to the public, wherein the R and F are supposedly allowed to ask any questions they wish, but out of the spotlight, if you ask too many of the wrong kind of questions, you are censured or disfellowshipped. Answers that you can’t question, indeed. If only it were otherwise.
They don’t have God’s spirit directing understanding of scripture. I have noticed since the GB have appointed themselves as the FDS everything has gone down very quickly. Maybe God’s patience has run out.
They are certainly a Governing Body, because they are a body of men that govern over other men. But they anything but a Faithful and Discrete Slave. They are not faithful to God or to the Bible. (One example of this is their insistence on tampering with the Bible. If they really had faith in the Bible, they would allow it to speak for itself, and not try to manipulate the translation to fit their theology.) Their frequently rash, unwarranted and ill-conceived doctrines and policies are not discrete (or otherwise there would be no child abuse scandal at present). And,… Read more »
You know, there actually isn’t anything wrong per se with speculation and reasoning on scriptures. All that is really necessary to prevent it from doing harm is to preface it with, “This is speculation, and we could be wrong.” If only WT would simply say something was their opinion, and not a divine revelation, pretty much NONE of their modern problems would exist. But somehow, they just can’t bring themselves to admit they could be wrong. So much needless suffering and problems could have been avoided, but it was not to be.
TRA, Have you given thought to the train wreck that occurred when Prov 4:18 and Psalm 97:11 were misapplied? I submit that all the major issues the GB face today can be accredited to this misapplication of scripture. What prompted the misapplication? Back in the 20’s Rutherford needed to replace some of Russell’s flawed teachings. To legitimatize his new interpretation and time predictions (some of which were less scriptural than Russell) and in effect say that “Russell got it wrong”, he needed divine authority. Here’s where Prov 4:18 entered the picture. His cleverly misguided interpretation became his “trump” card, the… Read more »
Fine thoughts, Sopater. If Watchtower leadership had applied what was written just a few verses after verse 18, they would have remained true to God even while misapplying scriptures here and there. (Proverbs 4:24-27) . . .Remove from yourself the crookedness of speech; and the deviousness of lips put far away from yourself. 25 As for your eyes, straight ahead they should look, yes, your own beaming eyes should gaze straight in front of you. 26 Smooth out the course of your foot, and may all your own ways be firmly established. 27 Do not incline to the right hand or to the left. Remove… Read more »
Deborah, We are fond of those days when we believed all and trusted all. It’s as if we had been given a beautiful puzzle of an original painting of a famous artist. All the pieces fit nicely in place (with numbers provided on the back of course). We were so proud of the finished product. Then one day we see an actual original of the painting we so love, and are shocked that our puzzle doesn’t look at all like the artists original work!!! I personally feel Jehovah gave the GB the opportunity to wipe the slate clean and completely… Read more »
Well stated, Sopater
If Jehovah wills, His people will find what we in our youth should have had- True worship and a true brotherhood where the only measure is Christ’s teachings and God’s Love.
Where no man will have the authority to say to his brother- Either agree, remain silent, or leave.
Some may think this impossible but as we know with God all things are possible- Even with Jehovah’s Witnesses.
Deborah
Sopater, A very interesting comment. Personally, I haven’t seen all that much [mis]application of Psalm 97:11, but lots and LOTS of it around Proverbs 4:18. The whole point of Proverbs 4 is that making good choices in life and picking good associates will result in our lives turning out well, and the more good choices we make as our lives progress, the better it will be. This has nothing to do with spiritual truth, but is simply counsel about the benefits of striving for godly conduct. In my youth, a few people went around telling this joke: Q: What happens… Read more »
Yeah and the reason why they have answers we cant question is because they are questions they cant answer .