Meleti Vivlon
Articles by Meleti Vivlon.
by Meleti Vivlon | Sep 25, 2015 | Judicial Matters |
I was doing my daily Bible reading a few days ago and came to Luke chapter 12. I’ve read this passage many times before, but this time it was like someone had smacked me in the forehead. “In the meantime, when a crowd of so many thousands had gathered together that...
by Meleti Vivlon | Sep 21, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
In a recent morning worship program titled “Jehovah Blesses Obedience”, Brother Anthony Morris III addresses accusations made against the Governing Body that it is dogmatic. Quoting from Acts 16:4, he refers us to the word translated “decrees”. He states at the 3:25...
by Meleti Vivlon | Sep 19, 2015 | This Generation |
“Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen.” (Mt 24:34) If you scan the “This Generation” category on this site, you’ll see various attempts by myself and Apollos to come to terms with the...
by Meleti Vivlon | Sep 14, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/07 p. 22 for Sep. 14-20] The very first thing that should strike us with this week’s study is the title. Using the Watchtower Library[i] with “loyal* kingdom” as the search parameters (sans quotes, of course), one finds not a single match in the entire...
by Meleti Vivlon | Sep 9, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
“Truly I say to you that this generation will by no means pass away until all these things happen.” (Mt 24:34) There are essentially two methods we can use to understand the meaning of Jesus’ words regarding “this generation”. One is called eisegesis, and the other,...
by Meleti Vivlon | Sep 8, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/07 p. 14 for Sep. 7-13] A man comes to your town. He stands in the village square, and proclaims that soon death and destruction will rain down upon you and your fellow citizens. Next, he tells you how to escape. Sacrifices must be made, but if you all...
by Meleti Vivlon | Sep 2, 2015 | Jehovah's Witnesses |
One of our commenters put forward a defense for the position of Jehovah’s Witnesses regarding the mandatory reporting of child abuse cases. Coincidently, a good friend of mine gave me the identical defense. I believe it reflects the standard belief among...
by Meleti Vivlon | Aug 29, 2015 | Jehovah's Witnesses |
I recently shared a link to Brother Geoffrey Jackson’s testimony before the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse with a couple of JW friends. I went out of my way not to be negative or challenging. I was simply sharing a news...
by Meleti Vivlon | Aug 24, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/06 p. 25 for August 24-30] “Your Father knows what you need.” – Mt 6:8 I grew up in an era when my religion shunned the idea of “creature worship”.[i] However, this is an outdated notion in today’s Organization, as evidenced by not one, but...
by Meleti Vivlon | Aug 16, 2015 | Child Abuse |
On August 14 at 11:00 AM AEST Brother Geoffrey Jackson of the Governing Body of Jehovah’s Witnesses provided testimony under examination before the Australia Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. At the time of this writing, the...
by Meleti Vivlon | Aug 11, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/06 p. 24 for August 10-16] “Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you indecisive ones.” (Jas 4:8) Since the decade following the failed expectations surrounding the year 1975, the...
by Meleti Vivlon | Aug 2, 2015 | The Congregation |
I was raised as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. I engaged in the full-time service in three countries, worked closely with two Bethels, and was able to help dozens to the point of baptism. I took great pride in saying that I was “in the truth.” I truly believed I was in...
by Meleti Vivlon | Aug 2, 2015 | The Congregation |
“…your longing will be for your husband, and he will dominate you.” – Gen. 3:16 We have only a partial idea of what the role of women in human society was intended to be because sin has skewed the relationship between the sexes. Recognizing how male and female...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jul 23, 2015 | Apostasy, Governing Body |
In the first part of the series, we saw that to protect ourselves from the folly of organized religion, we must maintain a climate of Christian freedom by guarding ourselves against the leaven of the Pharisees, which is the corrupting influence of human leadership....
by Meleti Vivlon | Jul 21, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/05 p. 24 for July 20-26] “Become imitators of God, as beloved children.” – Eph. 5:1 A Little Side Trip First While not strictly on topic, I think it will be beneficial to take a little side trip to continue our topic of last week’s study. Last week we...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jul 14, 2015 | Faith, Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/05 p. 19 for July 13-19] “They did not receive the fulfillment of the promises; but they saw them from a distance.” – Heb. 11:13 There are two words that come up often in Bible study: Eisegesis and Exegesis. While they look very much alike, their meanings...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jul 10, 2015 | Apostasy, Governing Body |
There have been a number of encouraging comments in the wake of our announcement that we’ll soon be moving to a new self-hosted site for Beroean Pickets. Once launched, and with your support, we hope to have a Spanish version as well, followed by a Portuguese one. We...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jul 6, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/05 p. 14 for July 6-12] “Take your stand against [Satan], firm in the faith.”— 1 Peter 5:9 In this continuation of last week’s theme, we learn how to fight Satan and win. We start off in paragraph 1 by emphasizing the unique JW doctrine that there are two...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jul 2, 2015 | General |
A Look Back Before We Look Forward When I first started Beroean Pickets, it was intended as a means to contact other Jehovah’s Witnesses who wanted to engage in deeper Bible research. I had no other goal than that. The congregation meetings do no provide a forum for...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jul 1, 2015 | 1914 |
“Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the holy spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded YOU.. . .” (Mt 28:19, 20) Short of the command to love one...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jun 28, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/05 p. 9 for June 29-July 5] “Be watchful! Your adversary, the Devil, walks about like a roaring lion, seeking to devour someone.” – 1 Peter 5:8 This week’s study is the first of a two-part series. In it, we are taught that the Devil is powerful, vicious...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jun 22, 2015 | Judicial Matters, Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/04 p. 22 for June 22-28] “Trust in him at all times, O people.” – Psalm 62:8 We trust in our friends; but friends, even very good friends, may abandon us in our time of greatest need. This happened to Paul as paragraph 2 of this week’s Watchtower...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jun 15, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/04 p. 15 for June 15-21] “Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you.” – James 4:8 This week’s Watchtower study opens with the words: “Are you a dedicated, baptized Witness of Jehovah? If so, you have a precious possession—a personal relationship...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jun 13, 2015 | Faithful Slave, JW.ORG |
The Governing Body is, by its own admission, the “highest ecclesiastical authority for the faith of Jehovah’s Witnesses” worldwide. (See point 7 of the Declaration of Gerrit Losch.[i]) Nevertheless, there is no foundation in Scripture for a governing authority made up...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jun 8, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/04 p. 9 for June 8-14] “and the things you heard from me that were supported by many witnesses, these things entrust to faithful men, who, in turn, will be adequately qualified to teach others.” – 2 Timothy 2:2 This week we continue the study directed...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jun 6, 2015 | Love, Sovereignty |
Back in 1984, Brooklyn headquarters staff member, Karl F. Klein wrote: “Since I first began taking in ‘the milk of the word,’ here are but a few of the many excellent spiritual truths Jehovah’s people have come to understand: the distinction between God’s organization...
by Meleti Vivlon | May 31, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/04 p. 3 for June 1-7] “There is an appointed time for everything.” – Eccl. 3:1 A friend who is still serving as an elder was complaining to me that more than half his elder body is too old or infirm to function as overseers. Of the few remaining, all are...
by Meleti Vivlon | May 28, 2015 | Governing Body, Jehovah's Witnesses, JW History, This Generation |
[This article was contributed by Andere Stimme] A few years ago, when the Book Study arrangement was canceled, some friends of mine and I were discussing our theories as to why. It went without saying that the real reason was not one of the ones in the letter, and it...
by Meleti Vivlon | May 24, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/03 p. 25 for May 25-31] “To the extent that you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” – Mt 25:40 The parable of the Sheep and the Goats is the theme of this week’s Watchtower Study. The second paragraph states: “Jehovah’s...
by Meleti Vivlon | May 17, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/03 p. 19 for May 18-24] “He gave five talents to one, two to another, and one to still another.” – Mt 25:15 “Jesus gave the parable of the talents as part of the answer to his disciples’ question about “the sign of [his] presence and of the conclusion of...
by Meleti Vivlon | May 9, 2015 | JW.ORG |
An Historic Broadcast Brother Lett opens this month’s JW.ORG TV broadcast with the statement that it is historic. He then lists several reasons we might consider it to be of historical importance. However, there is another reason he does not list. This is the...
by Meleti Vivlon | May 3, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/02 p. 24 for April 27-May 3] “I, Jehovah, am your God, the One teaching you to benefit yourself, the One guiding you in the way you should walk.”— Isa. 48:17 “He also subjected all things under his feet and made him head over all things with regard to the...
by Meleti Vivlon | Apr 26, 2015 | Sovereignty |
Thus humans, as well as God’s spirit sons, have the remarkable privilege of contributing to the vindication of Jehovah’s sovereignty by a course of integrity to him. (it-1 p. 1210 Integrity) The title of this article may seem like a redundant question. Who wouldn’t...
by Meleti Vivlon | Apr 19, 2015 | Sovereignty |
Does the Bible have a theme? If so, what is it? Ask this of any one of Jehovah’s Witnesses and you’ll get this answer: The entire Bible has but one theme: The Kingdom under Jesus Christ is the means by which the vindication of God’s sovereignty and the sanctification...
by Meleti Vivlon | Apr 12, 2015 | Jesus Christ, Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/02 p. 10 for April 13-19] “Though you never saw him, you love him. Though you do not see him now, yet you exercise faith in him.” – 1 Peter 1:8 NWT In this week’s study, there is a footnote for paragraph 2 that reads, “First Peter 1:8, 9 was written to...
by Meleti Vivlon | Apr 10, 2015 | Thought of the Day |
In this month’s tv.jw.org TV broadcast, Governing Body member Mark Sanderson concludes with these words: “We hope that this program has assured you that the Governing Body truly loves each one of you and that we notice and appreciate your steadfast endurance.” We know...
by Meleti Vivlon | Apr 8, 2015 | JW Doctrine |
When one of Jehovah’s Witnesses goes out knocking on doors, he brings a message of hope: the hope of eternal life on earth. In our theology, there are only 144,000 spots in heaven, and they are all but taken. Therefore, the chance that someone we might preach to will...
by Meleti Vivlon | Apr 5, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/02 p. 5 for April 6-12] “This people honors me with their lips, yet their heart is far removed from me.” (Mt 15:8 NWT) “Therefore, all the things they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds, for they say but they do not practice...
by Meleti Vivlon | Mar 23, 2015 | JW Doctrine, Other Sheep |
It would be hard to find a more “hot button” topic for Jehovah’s Witnesses then the discussion of who goes to heaven. Understanding what the Bible really has to say on the subject is vital—in the fullest sense of the word. However, there is something standing in our...
by Meleti Vivlon | Mar 19, 2015 | JW Doctrine, Other Sheep |
When Adam and Eve were thrown out of the garden to keep them away from the Tree of Life (Ge 3:22), the first humans were cast out of God’s universal family. They were now alienated from their Father—disinherited. We all descend from Adam and Adam was created by God. ...
by Meleti Vivlon | Mar 16, 2015 | Marriage, Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws15/01 p. 18 for March 16-22] “Unless Jehovah builds the house, it is in vain that its builders work hard on it” – 1 Cor. 11:24 There is a good Bible counsel in this week’s study. The pre-Christian Scriptures do not give a lot of direct counsel for marriage...
by Meleti Vivlon | Mar 11, 2015 | Other Sheep, The Anointed |
“He will crush your head…” (Ge 3:15) I can’t know what went through Satan’s mind when he heard those words, but I can imagine the gut wrenching feeling I’d experience if God pronounced such a sentence on me. One thing we can know...
by Meleti Vivlon | Mar 8, 2015 | Other Sheep, The Anointed |
[From ws 15/01 p. 13 for March 9-15] “Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” – 1 Cor. 11:24 A more appropriate title for this week’s Watchtower study would be “How We Observe the Lord’s Evening Meal.” The “why” is answered in the article’s opening paragraph. After...
by Meleti Vivlon | Mar 6, 2015 | Memorial of Christ's Death |
The congregations of Jehovah’s Witnesses will be commemorating the memorial of Christ’s death after sundown on April 3 of this year. Last year, we discussed ways to calculate the date of the anniversary of the Lord’s Last Supper. (See “Do This...
by Meleti Vivlon | Mar 2, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[From ws 15/01 p. 8 for March 2-8] “Give thanks to Jehovah for he is good.”-Ps. 106:1 This article is telling us how and why to show appreciation to Jehovah, and how he blesses us for doing so. “How Many Things Have You Done, O Jehovah” Under this subtitle, we are...
by Meleti Vivlon | Feb 25, 2015 | Worship |
We’ve just studied the meaning of four Greek words that are translated in modern English Bible versions as “worship”. True, each word is rendered in other ways as well, but they all have that one word in common. All religious people—Christian or not—think they...
by Meleti Vivlon | Feb 23, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[A Review of the December 15, 2014 Watchtower article on page 27] “We received…the spirit that is from God, so that we might know the things that have been kindly given us by God.”—1 Cor. 2:12 This article is a follow-up of sorts to last week’s Watchtower study. It...
by Meleti Vivlon | Feb 19, 2015 | Worship |
[This is the second of three articles on the subject of worship. If you haven’t already done so, please get yourself a pen and paper and write down what you understand “worship” to mean. Don’t consult a dictionary. Just write down whatever comes to mind first. Set the...
by Meleti Vivlon | Feb 16, 2015 | JW Doctrine, The Anointed, Watchtower Commentor |
[A Review of the December 15, 2014 Watchtower article on page 22] “We are members belonging to one another.”— Eph. 4:25 This article is yet another call for unity. This has become the dominant theme of the Organization of late. The January broadcast on tv.jw.org was...
by Meleti Vivlon | Feb 11, 2015 | Worship |
[Before we get started, I’d like to ask you to do something: Get yourself a pen and paper and write down what you understand “worship” to mean. Don’t consult a dictionary. Just write down whatever comes to mind first. Please don’t wait to do this after you read this...
by Meleti Vivlon | Feb 8, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[A Review of the December 15, 2014 Watchtower article on page 11] “He opened up their minds fully to grasp the meaning of the Scriptures.”— Luke 24:45 In this continuation of last week’s study, we explore the meaning of three more parables: The sower who sleeps The...
by Meleti Vivlon | Feb 2, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[A Review of the December 15, 2014 Watchtower article on page 6] “Listen to me, all of you, and understand the meaning.”— Mark 7:14 This Watchtower article introduces some welcome simplifications to the way we understand four of Christ’s parables, specifically, the...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jan 30, 2015 | General |
We began Beroean Pickets in April of 2011, but regular publishing didn’t begin until January of the next year. Though initially started to provide a safe gathering place for truth-loving Jehovah’s Witnesses interested in deeper Bible Study far from the watchful eye of...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jan 28, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
The #3 Student Talk in the Theocratic Ministry School has changed as of this year. Now it includes demonstration parts with two brothers discussing a Bible topic. Last week and this week it is taken from pages 8 and 9 of the newest edition of the New World...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jan 26, 2015 | 1919, Revelation |
It seems increasingly that the publications depend on the rank-and-file to not read the Bible context for any new interpretation. The second “Question from Readers” (page 30) in the current study edition of The Watchtower is but one example. Analyzing the account in...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jan 24, 2015 | The Anointed, Watchtower Commentor |
[A Review of the November 15, 2014 Watchtower article on page 23] “You were once not a people, but now you are God’s people.”— 1 Pet. 1:10 From our past year’s analysis of Watchtower study articles, it has become apparent that there is often an agenda behind the most...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jan 18, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[A Review of the November 15, 2014 Watchtower article on page 18] “Happy is the people whose God is Jehovah.”— Ps 144:15 Our review this week will not take us beyond the first paragraph of the study. It opens with: “Many thinking people today readily admit that...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jan 12, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[A Review of the November 15, 2014 Watchtower article on page 13] “Become holy yourselves in all your conduct.”— 1 Pet. 1:15 The article starts off with this subtle piece of misdirection: Jehovah, expects anointed ones and the “other sheep” to do their utmost to...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jan 4, 2015 | Watchtower Commentor |
[A Review of the November 15, 2014 Watchtower article on page 8] “You must be holy.”—Lev. 11:45 This promised to be an easy review covering a non-controversial subject. It has turned out to be anything but. Any honest, astute Bible student is going to encounter a...
by Meleti Vivlon | Dec 31, 2014 | This Generation |
“But the path of the righteous is like the bright morning light That grows brighter and brighter until full daylight.” (Pr 4:18 NWT) Another way to cooperate with Christ’s “brothers” is to have a positive attitude toward any refinements in our understanding of...
by Meleti Vivlon | Dec 28, 2014 | Resurrection, Watchtower Commentor |
[A Review of the November 15, 2014 Watchtower article on page 3] “He was raised up.”—Mt 28:6 Understanding the value and meaning of the resurrection of Jesus Christ is of course vital for us to keep our faith. It is one of the elemental or primary things that Paul...
by Meleti Vivlon | Dec 21, 2014 | Watchtower Commentor |
This week delivers our final Watchtower study article of the year. Rather than go into a detailed review (It is after all only routine article discussing often recurrent topics) it seems appropriate to take the occasion to close out our yearlong analysis of study...
by Meleti Vivlon | Dec 14, 2014 | Watchtower Commentor |
[A Review of the October 15, 2014 Watchtower article on page 23] “We are God’s fellow workers.” – 1 Cor. 3:9 The full text of 1 Corinthians 3:9 reads: “For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field under cultivation, God’s building.” (1Co 3:9) So Paul uses...
by Meleti Vivlon | Dec 11, 2014 | Jesus Christ, The Word |
One of the most compelling passages in the Bible is found at John 1:14: “So the Word became flesh and resided among us, and we had a view of his glory, a glory such as belongs to an only-begotten son from a father; and he was full of divine favor and truth.” (John...
by Meleti Vivlon | Dec 7, 2014 | Watchtower Commentor |
[A Review of the October 15, 2014 Watchtower article on page 13] “You will become to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” – Heb. 11:1 The Law Covenant PAR. 1-6: These paragraphs discuss the original Law Covenant that Jehovah made with his chosen people,...
by Meleti Vivlon | Nov 30, 2014 | Other Sheep, Watchtower Commentor |
[A Review of the October 15, 2014 Watchtower article on page 7] “Faith is the assured expectation of what is hoped for.” – Heb. 11:1 A Word About Faith Faith is so vital to our survival that not only did Paul supply us with an inspired definition of the term, but an...
by Meleti Vivlon | Nov 23, 2014 | JW Doctrine, Other Sheep, Watchtower Commentor |
A seemingly minor change in the doctrinal thinking of Jehovah’s Witnesses was introduced at this year’s annual meeting. The speaker, Brother David Splane of the Governing Body, noted that for some time now our publications have not engaged in the use of type/antitype...
by Meleti Vivlon | Nov 21, 2014 | JW Doctrine, Thought of the Day |
There has been a debate over what the Good News really is. This is no trivial matter because Paul says that if we don’t preach the right “good news” we will be cursed. (Galatians 1:8) Are Jehovah’s Witnesses preaching the real good news? We...
by Meleti Vivlon | Nov 19, 2014 | Jesus Christ, The Word |
“At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike.” – Mt 11:25 NLT[i] “At that time Jesus said in response: “I...
by Meleti Vivlon | Nov 16, 2014 | Resurrection, Watchtower Commentor |
[A Review of the September 15, 2014 Watchtower article on page 23] “The last enemy death brought to nothing.” – 1 Cor. 15:26 There is an interesting revelation in this week’s Watchtower study article which will likely be missed by the millions of Witnesses...
by Meleti Vivlon | Nov 9, 2014 | Baptism, Watchtower Commentor |
[A Review of the September 15, 2014 Watchtower article on page 17] “You should know well the appearance of your flock.”-Prov. 27:23 I twice read through this article and each time it left me feeling unsettled; something about it bothered me, but I couldn’t seem to...
by Meleti Vivlon | Nov 6, 2014 | Jesus Christ, The Word |
In part 1 of this theme, we examined the Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) to see what they revealed about God’s Son, Logos. In the remaining parts, we will examine the various truths revealed about Jesus in the Christian Scriptures. _________________________________...
by Meleti Vivlon | Nov 2, 2014 | Watchtower Commentor |
[A Review of the September 15, 2014 Watchtower article on page 12] “We must enter into the Kingdom of God through many tribulations.”—Acts 14:22 “DOES it shock you that you can expect to face “many tribulations” before you gain the prize of everlasting life?” –...
by Meleti Vivlon | Oct 30, 2014 | Jesus Christ, The Word |
Just under a year ago, Apollos and I planned to do a series of articles on the nature of Jesus. Our views diverged at that time about some key elements in our understanding of both his nature and his role. (They still do, though less so.) We were unaware at the time...
by Meleti Vivlon | Oct 27, 2014 | The Anointed, Watchtower Commentor |
[A Review of the September 15, 2014 Watchtower article on page 7] “Prove to yourselves the good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”—Rom. 12:2 Paragraph 1: “IS IT the will of God that true Christians go to war and kill people of a different nationality?” By this...
by Meleti Vivlon | Oct 20, 2014 | Watchtower Commentor |
[A Review of the August 15, 2014 Watchtower article, ”Hear Jehovah’s Voice Wherever You Are”] “13 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because you shut up the Kingdom of the heavens before men; for you yourselves do not go in, neither do you permit those on...
by Meleti Vivlon | Oct 12, 2014 | Watchtower Commentor |
“Draw close to God, and he will draw close to you.” – James 4:8 “No one comes to the Father except through me.” – John 14:6 Jehovah Want to Be Your Friend In the introductory paragraphs of this study, the Governing Body tells us in what context Jehovah draws close to...
by Meleti Vivlon | Oct 8, 2014 | Apostasy, Persecution |
[This is a continuation to the article, “Doubling Down on Faith”] Before Jesus came on the scene, the nation of Israel was ruled by a governing body made up of the priests in coalition with other powerful religious groups like the scribes, Pharisees and...
by Meleti Vivlon | Oct 5, 2014 | Watchtower Commentor |
“The word of God is alive and exerts power.” – Heb. 4:12 This week’s study is a simple one, instructing us on how to use the tracts in our door-to-door preaching work. There is not much that we can add to the topic given its nature, so we...
by Meleti Vivlon | Oct 4, 2014 | Apostasy |
[An opinion piece] I recently had a friend break off a decades-long friendship. This drastic choice didn’t result because I attacked some unscriptural JW teaching like 1914 or the “overlapping generations”. In fact, we engaged in no doctrinal discussion at all. The...
by Meleti Vivlon | Sep 28, 2014 | Watchtower Commentor |
“The women proclaiming the good news are a large army.” – Ps. 68:11 Introduction The article opens by quoting Genesis 2:18 which says that the first woman was created as woman a complement of the man. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, “complement”...
by Meleti Vivlon | Sep 22, 2014 | Watchtower Commentor |
“[Jesus] said to them: ‘…You will be witnesses of me… to the most distant part of the earth.’” – Acts 1:7, 8 This is the second of a two-part study intended apparently to reinforce our belief in the alleged divine origin of our name, “Jehovah’s Witnesses”. In...
by Meleti Vivlon | Sep 20, 2014 | Apostasy, Governing Body |
“…YOU are determined to bring the blood of this man upon us.” (Acts 5:28) The chief priests, Pharisees and scribes had all conspired and succeeded in killing God’s Son. They were blood guilty in a very big way. Yet here they are playing...
by Meleti Vivlon | Sep 14, 2014 | Jehovah's Witnesses, Watchtower Commentor |
Theme Text: “’You are my witnesses,’ declares Jehovah” – Isa. 43:10” This is the first of a two-part study intended apparently to reinforce our belief in the divine origin of our name, Jehovah’s Witnesses. Paragraph 2 states: “By giving this witness work our priority,...
by Meleti Vivlon | Sep 10, 2014 | 1914, Governing Body, Watchtower Commentor |
Part 1 of this series appeared in the October 1, 2014 Watchtower. If you have not read our post commenting on that first article, it might be beneficial to do so before proceeding with this one. The November issue under discussion here reviews the math by which we...
by Meleti Vivlon | Sep 8, 2014 | Apostasy, Watchtower Commentor |
As I was sitting through yesterday’s Watchtower study, something struck me as odd. Since we deal with incipient apostasy so swiftly and decisively, why make statements like:”Some Christians may have questioned why such individuals were allowed to remain in the...
by Meleti Vivlon | Sep 7, 2014 | Apostasy, Watchtower Commentor |
[Watchtower study for the week of September 8, 2014 – w14 7/15 p. 12] “Let everyone calling on the name of Jehovah renounce unrighteousness.” – 2 Tim. 2:19 The study opens by focusing on the fact that few other religions emphasize Jehovah’s name as we do. It...
by Meleti Vivlon | Sep 1, 2014 | Thought of the Day |
There are now 14 videos in the Become Jehovah’s Friend series on jw.org. Since these are used to train our most vulnerable minds, one does well to examine what is being taught to ensure that one’s children are being taught the truth. It is important also...
by Meleti Vivlon | Aug 31, 2014 | Apostasy, Watchtower Commentor |
A discussion based on the July 15, 2014 Watchtower study article, “Jehovah Knows Those Who Belong to Him.” Over the decades, The Watchtower has repeatedly referenced Korah’s rebellion against Moses and Aaron in the desert whenever the publishers felt the need...
by Meleti Vivlon | Aug 30, 2014 | Watchtower Commentor |
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...
by Meleti Vivlon | Aug 25, 2014 | Thought of the Day |
I was telling a friend the other day that reading the Bible is like listening to classical music. No matter how often I hear a classical piece, I continue to find unnoticed nuances which enhance the experience. Today, while reading John chapter 3, something popped out...
by Meleti Vivlon | Aug 25, 2014 | Watchtower Commentor |
It is somewhat discouraging to find that week after week there are issues in the Watchtower study article that need to be addressed for the purpose of upholding the truth. It is therefore a welcome relief when an article such as this one pops up. While not an in-depth...
by Meleti Vivlon | Aug 23, 2014 | Watchtower Commentor |
After reading the article, a more accurate title might be “Do You View Human Weakness Within The Organization as Jehovah Does?” The simple fact of the matter is that we have a double standard between those inside and those outside the Organization. If we were to...
by Meleti Vivlon | Aug 22, 2014 | Governing Body, Thought of the Day |
Alex Rover gave an excellent summary of the changed state of affairs in our Organization in his comment on my most recent post. It got me to thinking about how these changes came about. For instance, his third point reminds us that in the “old days” we did not know...
by Meleti Vivlon | Aug 21, 2014 | Thought of the Day |
“. . .And when it became day, the assembly of elders of the people, both chief priests and scribes, gathered together, and they led him into their San′he·drin hall and said: 67 “If you are the Christ, tell us.” But he said to them: “Even if I told you, you would not...
by Meleti Vivlon | Aug 10, 2014 | Watchtower Commentor |
[Watchtower study for the week of August 11, 2014 – w14 6/15 p. 17] This is the follow-up article to last week’s study on the need to love our God, Jehovah. It begins with a review of the illustration Jesus gave of the injured Samaritan to show who really is our...
by Meleti Vivlon | Aug 6, 2014 | Apostasy, Governing Body |
We are very down on independent thinking in the Organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses. For example, Pride may play a role, and some fall into the trap of independent thinking. (w06 7/15 p. 22 par. 14) Due to background and upbringing, some may be more given to...
by Meleti Vivlon | Aug 3, 2014 | Watchtower Commentor |
[Watchtower study for the week of August 4, 2014 – w14 6/15 p. 12] This is one of those articles we look forward to because it gives us the opportunity to praise our grand creator in the big congregation. (Ps 35:18) (Feel free to share your thoughts on Jehovah’s love...
by Meleti Vivlon | Jul 29, 2014 | Watchtower Commentor |
[Watchtower study for the week of July 28, 2014 – w14 5/15 p. 26] “The eyes of Jehovah area on the righteous.” 1 Pet. 3:12 The word “organization” appears over 17,000 times in all the publications included in the WT Library program. This is a remarkable number for...