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posted 08 June 2006 ***
The Watchtower, September 1 2004, printed
an article "Beware of 'The Voice of Strangers'" (see pages 13-18). On
page 15 we read:
"Satan uses similar methods to mislead God's people today. (Revelation
12:9) He is 'the father of the lie,' and those who, like him, try to
mislead God's servants are his children. (John 8:44) Let us note some
ways in which the voice of these strangers is being heard today."
Obviously the best form of defence is attack and so ministries such
as ours are attacked as being of the Devil, which means of course Jehovah's
Witnesses would not read what we say. We can see why they would want
to call us of the Devil but do the 3 ways that they mention to test
the voice of strangers characterise us or the Watchtower Bible and Tract
Society?
THREE TESTS
The first test is:
"Deceptive reasonings. The apostle Paul states:
"Do not be carried away with various and strange teachings." (Hebrews
13:9) What sort of teachings? Since they can 'carry us away,' it is
clear that Paul refers to teachings that undermine our spiritual balance."
Spiritual balance is of course vital and at the heart of keeping one's
balance is standing on firm ground. What is our firm ground before Christ?
That it is nothing of myself but I need to know what He has done. In
other words my foundation is the completed and finished work of Jesus
Christ, any other foundation and I am on unsure ground.
As I often say one of the main differences between true Christianity
and every other belief system is that it begins at the end! We are given
a completed and finished salvation and we spend our life working out
our salvation. That is why there is assurance, in true Christianity,
of our eternal future. It is not being presumptuous it is standing on
the firm ground with great spiritual balance. Anything is makes us unsteady.
Does the Watchtower Society give good spiritual balance? We would say
no, because it takes away the sure ground and causes instability in
never knowing whether Jehovah has accepted them or not.
We would suggest, therefore, as far as this are is concerned, it is
the Society that comes with the voice of the stranger whereas we would
seek to come with the voice of the shepherd.
The second test is:
"Harmful associates. The voice of strangers
may be heard through those with whom we associate. Harmful associations
especially endanger youths."
Bringing someone into a close relationship with Jesus Christ can never
be harmful, whether to youths or adults but how about a relationship
with the Society? Could the youth be harmed in their future life because
they must only obey what the Society says and not discover truth by
searching out every aspect of a matter? Could the future of a youth
be severely impaired because they are encouraged not to continue with
further education? Could the life of a youth be cut short because they
are refused a blood transfusion? I would suggest that these issues which
face every youth who has an association with the Society can be harmful.
Again, therefore, we would suggest, therefore, as far as this are is
concerned, it is the Society that comes with the voice of the stranger
whereas we would seek to come with the voice of the shepherd.
The third test is:
"False accusations. Although some news reports
about Jehovah's Witnesses are fair, at time the media let themselves
be used to broadcast the biased voice of strangers. For instance, in
one country a news report falsely stated that the witnesses supported
Hitler's regime during World War II… In several countries the media
accused Witnesses of refusing to give medical treatment to their children
and also deliberately condoning serious sins committed by fellow believers."
Who, I must ask are making the false accusations here?
THE WATCHTOWER AND ADOLF HITLER
The Society say that the claim that they support Hitler is a false accusation.
However, an investigation into the facts reveals another story. There
follows part of the translation of a letter sent by the Society to Hitler.
This first appeared in German in The Jehovah's Witnesses a book by Friedrich
Wihelm Haak, in 1977. For a fuller version see….
"Dear Reich Chancellor,
On the 25th June 1933 at the sports hall Wilmersdorf, Berlin, a conference
was convened by some 5000 delegates of the Bible Students of Germany
[J.Ws], representing several millions of Germans. These have for many
years been friends and supporters of this movement. The purpose of this
convention was for these representatives to explore ways, to inform
fully the Reich Chancellor and the other esteemed officials of the German
Empire, as well as to all other states the following standpoints: In
certain parts of the country measures have been and are being taken
against Christian men and women, who are unified in their positive belief.
This in essence amounts to the persecution of Christians by other Christians,
in that there have been accusations against us from the clerical front
(especially from the Catholics) and which are untrue.
Though we are absolutely convinced of the objectivity of government
departments and individual officials, we nevertheless observe, because
of the extent of our literature and demands of the examiners of the
material, the content and significance of our organisation is generally
being falsely judged, and also is what our religious opponents in full
prejudice bring against us.
Therefore, Mr. Reich Chancellor, the conference agreement with its accompanying
explanation, is laid before you (and the leaders of the German Reich)
by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, so that you may accept it
as documentation of the fact that the Bible Students of Germany have
but one single goal in their work; they purpose to lead people back
to God, to witness to and honour the name of Jehovah the Almighty, the
father of our lord and saviour Jesus Christ. We know for certain that
you, Mr. Reich Chancellor, will not allow such activity to be disturbed.
The Brooklyn presidium of the Watchtower has always from its outset
been German friendly. As a result of this in 1918 the president of the
Society and the seven members of the governing body in America were
sentenced to eighty years in jail, because the president refused to
use his two magazines to incite war propaganda against Germany. These
two journals 'Watchtower' and 'Bible Student' were the only ones in
the entire country which rejected the pressure for war propaganda, and
were therefore banned and repressed in America.
In the same way our Society's presidium not only refused to take part
in recent months, in the horror stories against Germany, but has even
taken an opposing stand, which is underlined in the accompanying explanation;
the clue to this is that the elements leading this onslaught of war
propaganda (horror stories) in America, i.e., the Jews with business
interests and Catholics, are also the ones who are conducting the most
rigorous persecution against this Society and its leadership. By this
and other resolutions hereby given, the rejection of this insidious
calumny should follow automatically, i.e. that the Bible Students were
actually supported by the Jews. Furthermore it was established by the
5,000 delegates, as expressed in the declaration, that the Bible Students
of Germany are striving for the same high goals and ideals, as proclaimed
by the government of the German Reich, regarding the relationship of
man to God, namely (i.e.), the honesty (sincerity) of His creation,
in response to the creator.
It was also established at the convention, that with reference to the
relationship of the Bible Students to the national government (of the
German Reich), no conflicts or differences of any kind exist, but on
the contrary one can say - regarding the purely religious, unpolitical
goals and efforts, - that these are in complete agreement with the parallel
aims of the national government of the German Empire.
For the German states in which even bans on our services and prayer
meeting are in place, and those who have been waiting many weeks for
a just solution to the gagging of their religious life, the following
points are expressed:
We intend to go on complying with the imposed restrictions, since we
are certain the Reich Chancellor, as well as the other states governments,
will, in recognition of the real situation, lift these measures, by
which tens of thousands of Christian men and women would have ultimately
to perish as martyrs, akin to the early Christians. Following on from
this most earnest application and explanation comes a humble plea, namely
to grant an opportunity for a commission (delegation) from our number
to present personally to the Reich Chancellor or Minister of the Interior
(Home Office) a responsible and true representation of our situation.
On the other hand the Reich Chancellor himself could appoint a commission,
which is not opposed to us by religious prejudice and themselves would
not be professionally religiously biased, but would evaluate our position
totally without prejudice, corresponding to the Reich Chancellor's own
just principles laid down for such purposes.
In anticipation of an expeditious and favourable consent, and the assurance
of our utmost respect (high regard), we are, most honoured Reich Chancellor,
Your most humble servants
Watchtower Bible and Tract Society Magdeburg"
With this evidence we ask again, "Just who is making the false accusations?"
How about another one of their listed false accusations, refusing medical
treatment? Their stance on blood transfusions is well known and it is
refusing medical treatment.
Finally how about their deliberately condoning serious sins? Please
look at www.silentlambs.org for full info on this.
For the third time we would suggest, therefore, as far as this are is
concerned, it is the Society that comes with the voice of the stranger
whereas we would seek to come with the voice of the shepherd.
WORK OF HOLY SPIRIT
This reminds me of the stage magician, "Now you see Him and now you
don't."
"Shortly before his death, Jesus foretold
a grand preaching campaign to be accomplished by his followers. He said:
"In all the nations the good news has to be preached." (Mark 13:10)
These words had an initial fulfillment in the first century, and the
part played by holy spirit was noteworthy. It was holy spirit that directed
Philip to preach to the Ethiopian eunuch. Holy spirit directed Peter
to Cornelius, and holy spirit directed that Paul and Barnabas be sent
out as apostles from Antioch. Later, when Paul wanted to preach in Asia
and Bythinia, holy spirit in some way prevented him. God wanted the
witness work to move into Europe.-Acts 8:29; 10:19; 13:2; 16:6, 7.
"Today, holy spirit is again deeply involved in the preaching work.
In a further fulfillment of Isaiah 61:1, 2, Jehovah's spirit has anointed
Jesus' brothers to preach. In the final fulfillment of Mark 13:10, these
anointed ones, aided by the great crowd, have preached the good news
literally in "all nations." (Revelation 7:9) And the spirit supports
all of them in this." - The Watchtower, 1 February 1992, p.17.
For most Jehovah's Witnesses there is nothing remarkable about that
quote. However, when you compare this with the teaching of the second
President of the Society, J F Rutherford, we see just how much God has
changed His mind. I say God because obviously both then and now they
would claim to be Jehovah's mouthpiece.
"… the holy spirit would and did perform
the office of helper, advocate and comforter of those who responded
to the call to the kingdom, and until the gathering unto himself of
his own… The Lord Jesus came to his temple in 1918, and that would mark
the time of the cessation of the work of the holy spirit as an advocate,
helper and comforter of the members of the church on earth. There the
holy spirit was taken away…" - Preservation, 1932, pp.202 & 203.
SPANISH EYES
Someone sent us some very interesting information from the 1967 edition
of the Spanish New World Translation. These facts make for interesting
reading. The inside page tells us that the version was:
"Translated from the version in English of
1961, consulting faithfully the ancient Hebrew and Greek Texts."
In other words, this is a clear admission by the Watchtower Bible &
Tract Society that this version of the Scriptures was not translated
directly from the original languages and so any errors would not have
been checked.
This actually gives some interesting renderings and one of the most
noteworthy is Hebrews 1:6 which reads,
"… and let all the angels of God adore
him."
The angels are to literally adore Jesus Christ, which of course means
that they worship Him.
In Spain therefore, as indeed in the early sixties in Britain, the angels
can worship Jesus, which of course means that He cannot be an angel!
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