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Is the brochure "Return to Jehovah" missing something?


HollyW

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Martha’s story is in the Return to Jehovah brochure which came out in January of 2015.  Martha claims to have been inactive for 40 years before she returned to the WTS.  If that return was in 2014, the year before the brochure came out, she would have been inactive from about 1974. 

Returning to the WTS is also called returning to Jehovah by JWs, but it is also called returning to the truth…..a word that becomes rather fluid among JWs since it doesn’t ever refer to the truth of their teachings.  One has only to look at what WTS teachings were 40 years ago when Martha became inactive, to what those teachings are today.

The world was going to end in 1975……obviously not the truth.

There were no more spirit-anointing going on to fill the ranks of the 144,000….not true any more.

The 144,000 were the faithful and discreet slave…….not true any more.

The faithful and discreet slave was appointed over all the Master’s belongings…….not true any more.

The other sheep were the belongings of the parable at Matthew 24:45-47…….they’ve been elevated to domestics now.

The generation of Matthew 24:34 would be remembered by Martha as being, beyond question, worldly people, as described in the wt:

"The actual meaning of these words is, beyond question, that which takes a generation in the ordinary sense, as at Mark 8:12 and Acts 13:36, or for those who are living at the given period. So it was on this generation that the accumulated judgments were to fall. (Matt. 23:36) This therefore means that from 1914 a generation shall not pass till all is fulfilled, and amidst a great time of trouble." Watchtower 1951 Jul 1 p.404

This teaching has gone thru three changes since Martha became inactive.  I wonder if she would recognize the current “overlapping” scenario as being “the truth.”

 

 

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I asked this in the Controversial section, and though it was read quite a few times, no one has ventured a reply. In the new brochure reaching out to inactive ones, there seems to be an implicati

Aranua, I think you were replying to me on this post. I don't think I am leaving YHWH out of anything, but rather it is the men who call themselves elders who have left YHWH out of it and took it upon

What seems to me to be missing from the brochure is any mention of those returning being disciplined. Why is that? Martha's story stood out because of the length of time she was an inactive JW, a

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4 minutes ago, Anna said:

My other sentence clarified my statement: " We want to make sure we have God's and Christ's understanding on what it means to "come" to them".

what does that have to do with it? You made the statement that Witness could not be a JW if he didn't know that is was to come to God and Christ. The Praeceptor clearly did not give the same answer as you did. So that means someone, either you or The Praeceptor, needs to get in line and speak together or else there is a division among your group. 

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31 minutes ago, AllenSmith said:

Shiwiii: I noticed that, it seems that the governing body has inserted themselves in place of Jesus.

 

 

Another personal opinion, laden with false accusations, but that’s what born again Christians commonly do. They are taught to deflect and evade from their clergy

You must not be aware of some statements made by the GB:

 

"To receive everlasting life in the earthly Paradise we must identify that organization and serve God as part of it." Watchtower 1983 Feb 15 p.12

"These overseers faithfully seek to apply instructions received from JehovahGod and Jesus Christ by means of the faithful and discreet slave and its Governing Body." Watchtower 1990 Mar 15 p.20

"Come to Jehovah's organization for salvation" - Watchtower 1981 Nov 15 p.212

The Watchtower 1975 Sep 1 p.531 asks "Where could we turn if we would leave God's organization today? There is nowhere else! 

"But if we were to draw away from Jehovah's organization, there would be no place else to go for salvation and true joy." Watchtower 1993 Sep 15 p.22

"They must appreciate that identifying themselves with Jehovah's organization is essential to their salvation." Kingdom Ministry 1990 Nov p.1

"And while now the witness yet includes the invitation to come to Jehovah's organization for salvation, the time no doubt will come when the message takes on a harder tone, like a "great war cry."" Watchtower 1981 Nov 15 p.21

 

Who runs the WT? The GB, that's who. Who writes and/or approves the messages? The GB, that's who. 

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8 minutes ago, HollyW said:

Martha claims to have been inactive for 40 years before she returned to the WTS.  IF that return was in 2014, the year before the brochure came out, she would have been inactive from about 1974. 

Imaginative, but of course the big "IF". (My formatting).

Subsequent speculations on "Martha" are subject to that suppposition. 

Were you(@HollyW a Jehovah's Witness during the period you reference in your hypothesis?

I was, but your scenarios bear only a 60% resemblance  to what was my experience so, unfortunately, there is a bit of a credibility gap in your assertions.

I wish we could get some authenticity into these postings....................................

 

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28 minutes ago, Shiwiii said:

I believe this is limiting God. Does God need anything from us to do His will? Your statement makes the argument that there is.

 

Of course God does not need a thing from us to do his will. His will is that  " all sorts of people should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth". (1 Tim 2:4) The preaching work is a kind privilege He gives to faithful ones so they can demonstrate their love, obedience and loyalty to him. Never mind the fact that it was actually a command from Jesus, to go and make disciples. (Matthew 28:18-20)

"For “everyone who calls on the name of Jehovah will be saved.”However, how will they call on him if they have not put faith in him? How, in turn, will they put faith in him about whom they have not heard? How, in turn, will they hear without someone to preach?  How, in turn, will they preach unless they have been sent out? Just as it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who declare good news of good things!" (Romans 10:13-15)

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55 minutes ago, Shiwiii said:

what does that have to do with it? You made the statement that Witness could not be a JW if he didn't know that is was to come to God and Christ. The Praeceptor clearly did not give the same answer as you did. So that means someone, either you or The Praeceptor, needs to get in line and speak together or else there is a division among your group. 

I don't know what the Praeceptor said, I couldn't find it....perhaps you can tell me

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5 hours ago, Eoin Joyce said:

Imaginative, but of course the big "IF". (My formatting).

Subsequent speculations on "Martha" are subject to that suppposition. 

Were you(@HollyW a Jehovah's Witness during the period you reference in your hypothesis?

I was, but your scenarios bear only a 60% resemblance  to what was my experience so, unfortunately, there is a bit of a credibility gap in your assertions.

I wish we could get some authenticity into these postings....................................

 

This is from the brochure:

Page 10: “My new job improved our family’s standard of living, but it also led me into all sorts of questionable activities. I began to celebrate holidays, to participate in political events, and even to attend church. I was inactive as one of Jehovah’s Witnesses for 40 years. The more time that went by, the more I thought I was beyond Jehovah’s forgiveness. I felt that I couldn’t forgive myself. After all, I knew the truth before I headed down the wrong path.”—Martha.

 

Page 11: That is what happened to Martha. She relates: “My son kept sending me the Watchtower and Awake! magazines. Little by little, I became reacquainted with Jehovah. The hardest part of coming back was asking forgiveness for all the sins I had committed. But finally, I approached God in prayer and asked him to forgive me. It’s hard to believe that 40 years went by before I returned to Jehovah. I am living proof that even after many years, someone can be given another chance to serve God and be back in his love.”

Do you believe it is authentic or made up?

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Ok,

4 hours ago, Anna said:

I don't know what the Praeceptor said, I couldn't find it....perhaps you can tell me

Ok, I  think found it. The Praeceptor said return "To the congregation! If you want to be part of the christian congregation you must adhere to the biblical high standards" I think that's what you mean.

Well of course, if you return to God and Christ you will adhere to Biblical standards, and automatically want to return to the congregation. Both go hand in hand. What the Praeceptor said is correct. What I said was correct. Both aspects are in the Bible.

If you want to read something about organization:  https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/watchtower-study-november-2016/organized-in-harmony-with-gods-word/

 

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5 hours ago, Shiwiii said:

Who runs the WT? The GB, that's who. Who writes and/or approves the messages? The GB, that's who. 

Samuel Herd alludes to the writing as being done by others, the GB’s 30+ helpers.  In a recent video on slaving for “Jehovah” given to the Bethelites he said, “While all major decisions and approval are made by the FDS, we have 30 qualified helpers and several other brothers who work hard in assisting us in accomplishing our responsibilities of feeding and caring for Jehovah’s sheep.”

As he runs down the long list of organizational (BUSINESS) matters needing to be addressed, including “looking into legal fights we’re having all over the world”, he finally says, “involved with all teachings”. “Now some of us may be viewed as iron chefs, but we’re not the only ones in the kitchen, you better believe that”.

How could anyone listening to this talk miss the priorities given to running a corporation – a business, over simply feeding the sheep as the early apostles did? 

He begins his talk on slavery by saying, “Paul told the early Christians in Corinth, “you do not belong to yourselves, for you were bought with a price”. 

He broke up two scriptures to create his own. 

“Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?  For you were bought at a price; therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s. 1 Cor 6:19,20

Initially, one would believe he is speaking of Christ’s sacrifice, but after hearing his talk, I can only surmise he means one is “bought” through baptism when relinquishing one’s identity, and donning a new one in the name of a corporation, becoming its slave.  This whole business in the name of God contradicts scripture, but it has persuaded so many to become "company men", devoted to its running, and convinced that God is backing it.  

Obviously, this scripture was not part of his talk:  You were bought at a price; do not become slaves of men”. 1 Cor 7:23

Or this one:  “For am I now seeking the approval of man, or of God? Or am I trying to please man? If I were still trying to please man, I would not be a servant of Christ.”  Gal 1:10

And not this one: “No one can be slave to two masters; for he will either hate the first and love the second, or scorn the second and be loyal to the first. You can’t be a slave to both God and money”.  Matt 6:24

Or this one:   “But Peter and the other apostles answered and said: “We ought to obey God rather than men.” Acts 5:29

Definitely not this one: “And He said to them, ‘You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.  For what is highly esteemed among men is an abomination in the sight of God.” Luke 16:15. 

http://pearl-disgustingthing.blogspot.com/

 

 

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Martha having been a JW before her 40 year period of being inactive as a JW from 1974 to 2014 (or pick any 40 year period prior to January 2015), Martha would have still believed the truth was that organ transplants were cannibalism and were prone to causing personality changes.  This ‘truth’ didn’t change until 1980, and by 1989 organ transplants were being commended as having helped people.

Blood transfusions-----even of the component parts of blood----were a disfellowshipping offense back when Martha became inactive.  She’ll find that now the truth has changed again and blood transfusions are acceptable as long as the whole blood is broken down into fractions.  Also that violating the WTS ban on blood does not bring disfellowshipping but disassociation (a distinction without a difference since the punishment is the same for both: shunning.)

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12 hours ago, Shiwiii said:

but is that with the implication of administering punishment?

You say punishment, I say discipline. Unfortunately both our views our subjective. The one being disciplined can easily think that is being punished especially if not humble enough to accept the council.

12 hours ago, Shiwiii said:

There is no man who can tell me I am not a part of the congregation in which Jesus followers are in, regardless of my sin

By what you are saying I can only conclude that in 1 Corinthians 5:1-5 and 1 Timothy 1:20 the first Christians and Paul (and the therefore the Biblical precedent) are wrong since "no man can tell you if you are not part of the congregation".

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19 hours ago, HollyW said:

Again,  Is that the correct message the WTS is trying to convey?

I have already answered...

On 22/9/2016 at 9:13 ΜΜ, ThePraeceptor said:

 2 Corinthians 2:5-8  Now if anyone has caused sadness, he has saddened, not me, but all of you to an extent—not to be too harsh in what I say. This rebuke given by the majority is sufficient for such a mannow you should instead kindly forgive and comfort him, so that he may not be overwhelmed by excessive sadness. I therefore exhort you to confirm your love for him.

Apostle Paul is clear here. The fact that someone remained out of the congregation for a time (by choice or by disfellowshipping) is discipline enough. What more discipline would you have him/her suffer?

So I'm asking you now. Is that the correct message the Bilbe is trying to convey?

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