What concept/concepts is behind the term "inspired"?

[JW Insider]

17 hours ago, Srecko Sostar said:

"Encourage" is broad term. In relation to Religious Matters, and what is said previously, perhaps this specific sort of "encouraging" you mentioned, is about encouraging To Stay Firm in Temporary Teachings, until some of this temporary dogmas would not be changed by THEY.

Encourage is intended to be a broad term. But it is not separate from "Religious Matters." We humans often tend to be foolish and think that turning doctrines into some philosophical/exegetical  exercise is somehow more important to Jehovah than justice, mercy, love, humility, etc. The specifics of certain complex teachings or prophetic interpretations are far down on the list of what is important. For the most part those things are not even "religious."

As James said: "True religion means looking after orphans and widows in their troubles, and not being like the rest of the world." (James 1:27 - paraphrase)

(1 Corinthians 12:29-13:9) . . .Not all are apostles, are they? Not all are prophets, are they? Not all are teachers, are they? Not all perform powerful works, do they? 30 Not all have gifts of healings, do they? Not all speak in tongues, do they? Not all are interpreters, are they? 31 But keep striving for the greater gifts. And yet I will show you a surpassing way. 13 If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels but do not have love, I have become a clanging gong or a clashing cymbal. 2 And if I have the gift of prophecy and understand all the sacred secrets and all knowledge, and if I have all the faith so as to move mountains, but do not have love, I am nothing. 3 And if I give all my belongings to feed others, and if I hand over my body so that I may boast, but do not have love, I do not benefit at all. 4 Love is patient and kind. Love is not jealous. It does not brag, does not get puffed up, 5 does not behave indecently, does not look for its own interests, does not become provoked. It does not keep account of the injury. 6 It does not rejoice over unrighteousness, but rejoices with the truth. 7 It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 8 Love never fails. But if there are gifts of prophecy, they will be done away with; if there are tongues, they will cease; if there is knowledge, it will be done away with.

[JW Insider]

10 hours ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

If you know this then you are saying that the GB are lying. Are you saying that God has given you more insight that God has given to the GB ? If it is plain to you that the F&DS is not a small group of men, then why isn't it plain to the GB ? 

Not lying. Mistaken. Mistaken for almost the same reason that any of us --either currently, or in the past-- have believed the GB are a small group of men. When I believed it, I was not lying. It was just a mistake I was making at the time. I would guess that there are easily hundreds or thousands of Witnesses who notice the same thing in their Bible reading as they went through the illustrations of Jesus in context, and have reached through many of Paul's letters. Perhaps others will have already noticed that a leading member of this same Governing Body, F.W.Franz, once argued very coherently and scripturally that we should NOT see the Governing Body as a small council or committee like those apostles and older men in Jerusalem.

I don't think I have more insight than the GB, I was convinced by the Scriptural argument of F.W.Franz. But there's a good reason why it would not be plain to them. Long before the Governing Body was defined in 1971, the 7 officers of the Watch Tower Society already realized that they were responsible to represent the entire remnant of the anointed on earth, and found themselves soon leading hundreds of thousands of Witnesses and interested persons. No matter what you think, there IS something special about this particular religion. It is unique as a teaching organization in many ways. I've gone into the specifics in the past, but for now, I'm just making a statement of opinion shared by millions of other JWs too.

The GB who find themselves in positions of great responsibility for an organization that is believed to be specifically prophesied about in the Bible, would surely expect that their own position of responsibility must therefore also be prophesied in some way. This doesn't mean that they think they are inspired, only that God's inspiration must have foreseen, not only the fact of this organization, but also some special guidance for its leadership, too. They could have found this in "apostolic succession" as some other religions do. They could have found it in some special new "inspired" prophet as some religions have. They could have decided that a leader was the "angel to the church in Laodicea." They could have seen it in the "the Jew" with 10 men grasping their hem. But they see it in an illustration about servants feeding other servants. Compared to the ways many religions look to give "authority" to a select few, this is actually commendably low-key. But it's still a misuse of the verse. It's an inconsistency based on the March 15, 2015 Watchtower that shows why it is wrong to turn a parable into a prophecy.

[JW Insider]

10 hours ago, JOHN BUTLER said:

It's not about whether we claim to be anointed or not, it's about being faithful until the end.

Once again I will differ with you on this point. Didn't the Israelites once 'demand' to have an earthly king ?

Humans need to be guided by other humans it seems.

But Jehovah didn't think they needed a king. It was a concession to their hard-heartedness. But a fully Christian system should be different. It transitions us away from the fleshly needs of Israel, and commends itself to our heart and spirit.

• (Jeremiah 31:31-33) . . .“Look! The days are coming,” declares Jehovah, “when I will make with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah a new covenant. 32 It will not be like the covenant that I made with their forefathers on the day I took hold of their hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt, ‘my covenant that they broke, although I was their true master,’ declares Jehovah.” 33 “For this is the covenant that I will make with the house of Israel after those days,” declares Jehovah. “I will put my law within them, and in their heart I will write it. And I will become their God, and they will become my people.”

[JW Insider]

5 hours ago, BillyTheKid46 said:

If you really want to understand what the term means and how it became part of scripture, you need to begin with understanding the role of Nebuchadnezzar and then, on how it came to be in the NT.

Probably a more likely place to start would be the example of Joseph who was a servant, and when in Potiphar's house, Potiphar's wife tried to seduce him into being unfaithful. But Joseph, as a servant in the house, was always discreet and faithful, and ultimately was granted "authority over all things." Daniel was another example of someone taken as a prisoner who proved himself faithful.

5 hours ago, BillyTheKid46 said:

It doesn't take just reading material but feeling what that material is ultimately conveying through context. To a TRUE Christian, it takes the same faith and understanding that Jesus had.

Couldn't agree more.

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

2 hours ago, BillyTheKid46 said:

I got it, ?Winsider. When, I write “FBM” that’s you without having to further taint the name of God. Or how about the first one, ?Winsider Remember it’s not just what was written in the 10 commandments, Since, I’m sure you will not volunteer the removal of such a stumbling block that you seem to take pride in misusing God’s name with your avatar.

WOW!

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

Billy ... If JW Insider's Avatar and moniker is a stumbling block to you, and you think it taints the name of God, you have some serious screws loose.

It's amazing you can walk down the street without having parts fall off.

 

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

3 hours ago, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

6 hours ago, BillyTheKid46 said:

I got it, ?Winsider. When, I write “FBM” that’s you without having to further taint the name of God. Or how about the first one, ?Winsider Remember it’s not just what was written in the 10 commandments, Since, I’m sure you will not volunteer the removal of such a stumbling block that you seem to take pride in misusing God’s name with your avatar.

WOW!

Ya got me on that pacifist issue, BTK46.  

When a bully is flailing about, I defend the ones being falsely accused BY YOU.

...   silly me.

...   and Billy ... the works are ALREADY gummed up .... my "crime" is I know about it.

 

[Srecko Sostar]

13 hours ago, BillyTheKid46 said:

Well, you made the argument kind of difficult to understand

 

On 6/18/2019 at 12:01 AM, BillyTheKid46 said:

This is why Jesus never became a formal rabbi with scholarly works. He didn’t need to, just like we don’t need to.

You made comparison of this kind: He didn’t need to (learn in schools), just like we don’t need to.

Well, let put subject again: Because, according to your words, JW's in general and especially all elders with GB as Top Management not need formal education in religious matters, because as you made statement, this people is like Jesus already equipped with needed credentials, questions are: Does this way of getting knowledge, understanding and good fruits is because that all was been result of Inspiration by spirit OR is it result of 3 step model (empowered by spirit? assisted by angels? guided by God’s Word?) ?

Because, WTJWORG explains that this two is not the same. And here you said how  Jesus and JW's archived all this spiritual quality and quantity in the same manner/same way.

I found this view, if it is yours too, as wrong. Was Jesus "Empowered" or "Guided" or "Inspired" by holy spirit. In fact, because Jesus came to Earth from Above as Firstborn who already have ALL Power and Authority and All Spirit, in fact He can spread that Spirit as holy spirit onto, into, on others around Him.

What is difference when WT magazine say: empowered by spirit and guided by Word? But  also using terminology "we are not Inspired by spirit but we are Guided by spirit?!  

Who or What doing what  ??? influence on GB? Somehow, according to explanation they made, to Them, sometimes inspired and guided have different meaning, sometimes the same. And in this WT magazine they put new terminology - empowered.

Very confusing, but perhaps they have such intention to confuse people.  :)))

 

[JOHN BUTLER]

I like that BTK recognises this :  Quote BTK  Not understanding scripture is no excuse before God.

Thank you Billy you have just condemned the GB and the Watchtower Soc' and JW ORG. 

With your own words you say it. Remember how misused the scriptures relating to the 'Superior Authorities', and 'This Generation' ?

Remember how the Bible Students / JW org said Armageddon was coming in 1914 and even printed magazines to show it 

 

What Watchtower said  prior to 1914	What Watchtower claims it said  prior to 1914
"The year A.D. 1878 … clearly marks the time for the actual assuming of power as King of kings, by our present, spiritual, invisible Lord - …" The Time is At Hand (1911 ed) p.239	"The Watchtower has consistently presented evidence to honesthearted students of Bible prophecy that Jesus’ presence in heavenly Kingdom power began in 1914." Watchtower1993 Jan 15 p.5
"But bear in mind that the end of 1914 is not the date for the beginning, but for the end of the time of trouble. Zion's Watch Tower 1894 Jul 15 p.226	"Jehovah's witnesses pointed to the year 1914, decades in advance, as marking the start of "the conclusion of the system of things." Awake! 1973 Jan 22 p.8

 

For many decades, it was plainly stated that Armageddon would come whilst people born prior to 1914 were still alive.

You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth (1982) p.154

At the 2010 annual meeting, John Barr presented another new understanding of the generation. 97 year old Barr was an apt choice to deliver this talk, being the last of the Governing Body born before 1914. He explained the generation is now to include 2 groups whose lives "overlap" since 1914:

"John Barr ... twice read the comment: "Jesus evidently meant that the lives of the anointed ones who were on hand when the sign began to be evident in 1914 would overlap with the lives of the other anointed ones who would see the start of the great tribulation." We do not know the exact length of "this generation," but it includes these two groups whose lives overlap. Even though the anointed vary in age, those in the two groups constituting the generation are contemporaries during the part of the last days. How comforting it is to know that the younger anointed contemporaries of those older anointed ones who discerned the sign when it became evident beginning in 1914 will not die off before the great tribulation starts!" Watchtower 2010 June 15 p.5

If it is truth that a generation includes an "overlap" with those born in 1914, why did Jehovah allow the Watchtower to teach for decades that a generation would end within the lifetime of a person born prior to 1914? Why allow it to introduce several new and contradictory teachings since 1995? Surely this proves Watchtower teachings are not directed by God.

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

John old Boy, you have just pointed out the obvious, that everybody, including myself missed!

BillyTheKid46 ... using HIS OWN LOGIC ( ...and that is a stretch ...) not only shot himself in the foot ... again ... but with his OWN LOGIC, condemned the Governing Body as being reprehensible and clueless.

I do not agree with the concept that he espouses ... as I believe that justice must be tempered with mercy for blind pawns (John 9:41), but his hatred for anyone that does not agree with him has caused him to bend over and start cannibalizing himself, starting with his wounded feet.

One thing you did NOT do is irrefutably document BTK46's arguement FOR the "prosecution".  You really need to learn how to do screen clips.  May I recommend "FastStone Capture", the same one I recommended to JW Insider.

Being the kind and generous Barbarian that I am,  here is the irrefutable proof documentation. in .JPG form, so you can download it as two "units" for future reference.

 

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

 

 

... and the WHOLE 1914 Generations thingy can be resolved by writing down an HONEST answer to the ONE question:

" When Jesus was talking eyeball to eyeball with the Apostles and others, when he said "This generation will not pass away until all these things occur ...", how did THEY understand what Jesus was talking about?"

... ALL ELSE is delusional theological fantasy.

 

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

Probably one of the more pressing questions of the day, is whether or not ManBearPig is real !