Shiwiii

You know, I’ve thought a lot about the substance of not only your question, Carmen, but also your answer, Shiwiii.   Why would Jesus, who washed the feet of his disciples be so untouchable to all of us once ascending to heaven?  He appeared to the disciples after his resurrection, eating with them and teaching, so why would this closeness have to end with his resurrection? 

“Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God,  rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

 "When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.”  John 13:3-5,12,13,16
Will we see Christ again, even speak to him?  And can we pray to him today?


 “but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.”

 And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,“Let all God's angels worship him.”  Heb 1:2,6

It’s pretty clear here that Jesus will return to earth and with him the Bride – 144,000. 

John 1:51 - And he said to him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, you will see heaven opened, and the angels of God ascending and descending on the Son of Man.” 

If we look at Heb 1:6 again, worshipping him are the same angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man – his Bride (144,000).  Angels are messengers, the chosen are the priesthood and messengers as well, according to Mal 2:7 (Rev 1:20) 1 Pet 2:5

The restoration of the earth and mankind connect in their meaning with Ps 37:11,29 and Acts 3:20,21 which says:

“ that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus,  whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago."  Acts 3:20,21

If Jesus was seen “in the flesh” after his resurrection, there is no reason why he wouldn’t be seen again in such a manner.  1 Cor 15:6  He is the firstborn of the “new creation”, both spirit and flesh with the 144,000 to follow in suit.  The 144,000 are assured by God, that they will obtain the same "likeness" as the resurrected Christ. Rom 6:5  (John 1:14; Col 2:9; 1:19)

Eph 2:21,22 - " in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord.  In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit."

God is within Christ and within the 144,000. This is why Christ said,

“nor will they say, ‘Look, here it is!’ or ‘There!’ for behold, the kingdom of God is in the midst of you.”  Luke 17:21

"And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband."  Rev 21:2

From that “holy city”which is composed of the Bride and her Husband, Jesus, and where God dwells within them, comes sustenance provided through Christ and through the 144,000 for mankind on earth.  They are present on the earth as “New Jerusalem”.

“ through the middle of the street of the city; also, on either side of the river, the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, yielding its fruit each month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations.”  Rev 22:2

But can we pray to Jesus now?  I have thought long and hard about this wondering why it couldn’t be.  The Watchtower says no, but as far as I know there is no scriptural validation to this doctrine.  What I have found is interesting. 

We have this example that Paul prayed to Jesus:

“ So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited.  Three times I pleaded with the Lord about this, that it should leave me.  But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 

To verify that the one speaking to him is Christ, it goes on to say:

“Therefore I will boast all the more gladly of my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ may rest upon me.  For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”  2 Cor 12:7-10

We also find in many translations that John 14:12-14 reads similar to this:

“Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever believes in me will also do the works that I do; and greater works than these will he do, because I am going to the Father.  Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.”

Is inserting "me" here accurate?  The RNWT translates verse 13,14 as:

“Also, whatever you ask in my name, I will do this, so that the Father may be glorified in connection with the Son. If you ask anything in my name, I will do it. “

Now, going to the Watchtower Kingdom Greek Interlinear we find that John 14:14 word for word reads:

“if ever anything you should ask ME in the name of me this I shall do”.  In the translation from Greek to English they have removed the word “me” after “ask”. 
Not only is Paul's example proof that we can pray to Jesus, but it is clear that we can ask Christ in prayer for guidance through this Greek translation put out by the Watchtower itself.  


 “Until now you have asked nothing in my name. Ask, and you will receive, that your joy may be full.”  John 16:24

How can we respond to Christ’s call of “come to me” if we cannot speak to him?    Matt 11:28; Luke 18:16

John 5:39,40 – “You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me,  yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.”

If we strive to have an intimate relationship with God, would this not include a similar relationship with his Son who pleads for us to come to him?  Isn’t this what God wants us to do?  Matt 17:5


 

 

1 Tim 2:5 :- For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus,
 (1 Corinthians 11:23-26) . . .For I received from the Lord that which I also handed on to YOU, that the Lord Jesus in the night in which he was going to be handed over took a loaf 24 and, after giving thanks, he broke it and said: “This means my body which is in YOUR behalf. Keep doing this in remembrance of me.” 25 He did likewise respecting the cup also, after he had the evening meal, saying: “This cup means the new covenant by virtue of my blood. Keep doing this, as often as YOU drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as YOU eat this loaf and drink this cup, YOU keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives.
By celebrating the Lord’s Evening Meal, we are obeying a direct command of our Lord Jesus and thus “proclaiming the death of the Lord until he arrives”.  Is there any mention of an observer class?  Does Jesus, in commanding us to commemorate his death by partaking of the wine and bread instruct us that this only applies to a tiny percentage of Christians?  Does Jesus instruct the vast majority to abstain from partaking?  Does he command them to merely observe?
This is simple order; a straightforward, unambiguous command.  We are expected to obey.  Anyone reading this can grasp the meaning.  It is not couched in symbolisms, nor does it require the study of a Bible scholar to decode some hidden meaning.
 
 

"Just" should be in place between "worshiped" and "as" in your statement, according to John 5:23

All one has to do is remember who wrote the first books of the Bible, Moses! Of course Moses would write God's name where it belonged and where He spoke with the patriarchs. This is because Moses knew it. I understand your point, and agree that they didn't know the full extent of God's character. However, God appeared to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob as God Almighty.  That was how he was known to them.

Jesus always referred to God as Father, which should help us realize there is more than just pronouncing his name in order to know him.  Jesus made mention many times that by accepting him and his teachings one could know the Father.  The book of John is incredible in shedding light on how to know God.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.  From now on you do know him and have seen him.”  John 14:6,7

Philip still had to ask,

“Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.” Jesus said to him, “Have I been with you so long, and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?  Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.  Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else believe on account of the works themselves.”  John 14:8-11

More good scriptural proof that by knowing Christ we can know God:

 And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me that they may be one, even as we are one.  John 17:11

O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that you have sent me. I made known to them your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which you have loved me may be in them, and I in them.”  John 17:25,26

These reveal that with the coming of Christ, the best way to understand and know God is by knowing Christ. To the Jews who thought they knew God, he said:

“I am the one who bears witness about myself, and the Father who sent me bears witness about me.”  They said to him therefore, “Where is your Father?” Jesus answered, “You know neither me nor my Father. If you knew me, you would know my Father also.”  John 8:18,19

Jesus answered, “If I glorify myself, my glory is nothing. It is my Father who glorifies me, of whom you say, ‘He is our God.’ But you have not known him. I know him. If I were to say that I do not know him, I would be a liar like you, but I do know him and I keep his word.  Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.”  John 8:54-56

 “I have manifested your name to the people whom you gave me out of the world. Yours they were, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. Now they know that everything that you have given me is from you.  For I have given them the words that you gave me, and they have received them and have come to know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me.  I am praying for them. I am not praying for the world but for those whom you have given me, for they are yours.  All mine are yours, and yours are mine, and I am glorified in them.  And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me that they may be one, even as we are one.  While I was with them, I kept them in your name, which you have given me. I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled.  John 17:6-12

God’s name is known by receiving Christ’s words and believing in him, recognizing that he is the Bread of Life coming down from the Father.  By receiving that bread/teachings/life, we come to know the Father who is its ultimate source.  John 6:33,51  We do this with loving gratitude for such a wonderful gift.

Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.  John 14:23

Obeying all of God’s laws fulfilled in Christ is motivated by love and faith, which then allows us to be “one” with the Father and Christ (John 17:11).  

When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.   John 17:1-3

The Father knew how far his people had strayed from serving him, thus knowing him was impossible.  What a gift we have in Christ; all eyes should be on him and him only to lead us to the Father.  He is the mediator of all men, anointed and those not anointed.  Our salvation has come to us through Christ; our heart’s devotion and obedience to his teachings can lead us to love him.  By doing so, we then come to know and love God, the Father. 

Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ  and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith—  that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,  that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead.  Phil 3:8-11

Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches,  but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”  Jer 9:23,24

Righteousness from God comes through Christ; accepting this in faith leads to knowing God.

“For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

“and lo, a voice out of the heavens, saying, `This is My Son -- the Beloved, in whom I did delight.'   Matt 3:17      Young’s Literal Translation

Can we simply address God as “Father” in the same manner as Christ and it be acceptable?  Indeed, Christ is our example to follow. There is an account in Malachi 2 where God is relating the iniquities of his priests failing to honor God’s name.

“A son honors his father, and a slave his master. If I am a father, where is the honor due me? If I am a master, where is the respect due me?” says the Lord Almighty.

“It is you priests who show contempt for my name. “But you ask, ‘How have we shown contempt for your name?’  “By offering defiled food on my altar. “But you ask, ‘How have we defiled you?’

“By saying that the Lord’s table is contemptible. When you offer blind animals for sacrifice, is that not wrong? When you sacrifice lame or diseased animals, is that not wrong? Try offering them to your governor! Would he be pleased with you? Would he accept you?” says the Lord Almighty.  “Now plead with God to be gracious to us. With such offerings from your hands, will he accept you?”—says the Lord Almighty. Mal 1:6-9

Sacrifices today by anointed ones is the fruit of the lips, (Mal 2:7; 1 Pet 2:5; Heb 13:15) which can be defiled through wrong teachings and dishonoring God’s name.  If these teachers fail to show the sheep the honor due the Father, how would it be presented?

Jesus said, that all should honor the Son just as they honor the Father. He who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent Him.  John 5:23

Does the organization honor the Son just as it honors the Father? Can we honor the Father but not the Son?   Mark 7:6


 

 

I noticed in the links that Eoin Joyce provided,  the Bible references never mention a tattoo in them. It did give reference to obeying your parents (Colossians 3:20), which I can see that, but no mention of not getting a tattoo once an adult.
1 Peter 3:3&4, these are speaking about a wife and how she should be submissive to their husband throughout the first 6 verses. In fact it is specifically addressed in verse 5. Again, nothing about tattoo's. This applies also to 1 Timothy 2:9 as it is stated again about submissiveness and reinforced at verse 11.
Romans 12:1, this is the only verse that can actually pertain to the subject, however it still does not mention tattoo's. Romans 12:1&2 speak to us about how we are to live in these bodies as a living sacrifice, acceptable to God. We are to live for God, this would apply to smoking, drinking in excess, fornication, slandering and even over eating as these have been mentioned in other scriptures, but does it really apply to tattoo's? I think not. 
There is only one mention of tattoo's in the Bible. Leviticus 19:28. However, the WT accepts that this is not binding to anyone but the Jews. 
https://www.jw.org/en/bible-teachings/questions/bible-say-about-tattoos/#?insight[search_id]=aa3524b3-b921-40f1-b8fd-549dc406c9c3&insight[search_result_index]=1
" While the Law given to Israel is not binding on Christians, the principle underpinning this law is worth serious consideration. "
Worth consideration does not equate to absolute NO. 

and here is the point I was trying to make as well. God's word does not change, it is man's interpretation that does. It is man's law, which is not sanctioned by God, that is condemning. When one allows men to rule and reign over their lives as if God Himself dictated it, then you have these problems of constant changing doctrines and man made rules to follow. This really is the core of the problem. There is a vast difference between those who lead and those who impose. A leader has gained respect by not an iron fist of rules and regulations, but rather a gentle and humble approach and willingness to come along side and work with you. Those who impose their belief are dictators, and this seldom leads to genuine respect, but rather conformity. It is take what we give and like it. One must conform or find themselves on the outside, outside of what? The box they allowed themselves to be put in. 
 
I truly appreciate this discussion and your input.