Awake! July 2009 pg 28-29 (HIGHLITES)

Is it wrong to change your religion?

Avtar eventually became one of Jehovah’s Witnesses. Was she wrong to change her religion? Perhaps you identify with her family. You may feel that your religion is inextricably linked with family history and culture and should not be changed.

Honoring one’s family is important. The bible says ‘Listen to your father who caused your birth’ (proverbs 23:22) BUT IT IS MORE OMPORTANT TO SEEK TO KNOW THE TRUTH ABOUT OUR CREATOR AND HIS PURPOSES. (Isaiah 55:6) Is such a search possible? If so, HOW IMPORTANT IS THIS SEARCH TO YOU?

THE WORLDS RELIGIONS TEACH CONFLICTING IDEAS. LOGICALLY, THOSE TEACHINGS CANNOT ALL BE TRUE. AS A RESULT, THERE MUST BE MANY PEOPLE WHO, AS THE BIBLE SAYS ‘have zeal for God but not according to accurate knowledge.’ (Romans 10:2)
Yet, as recorded at 1 timothy 2:4, the apostle Paul says that IT IS GODS WILL THAT ‘all sorts of men…come to an accurate knowledge of truth.’ How can such accurate knowledge be found?

Consider reasons for examining the bible. Paul who was an inspired bible write, stated ‘all scripture is beneficial for teaching.’ (2 Timothy 3:16) As part of your search for truth, examine the evidence that the bibles claim is true. Investigate for yourself its unparalleled wisdom, historical accuracy and fulfilled prophecy.
INSTEAD OF PRESENTING ALL RELIGIONS AS EQUAL APPROACHES TO GOD, THE BIBLE TELLS ITS READERS NOT TO BELIEVE EVERYTHING THEY HEAR BUT TO ‘TEST THE INSPIRED EXPRESSIONS TO SEE WHETHER THEY ORIGINATE WITH GOD.’ (1 John 4:1)

For example, ANY TEACHING THAT TRULY ORIGINATES WITH GOD MUST BE IN HARMONY WITH HIS PERSONALITY, including his dominant quality of LOVE. 1 John 4:8

The bible ASSURES US that God wants us to ‘REALLY FIND HIM.’ (Acts 17:26, 27) SINCE OUR CREATOR WANTS US TO SEARCH FOR TRUTH, IT CANNOT BE WRONG TO ACT ON THE EVIDENCE THAT WE FIND EVEN IF THIS MEANS CHANGING OUR RELIGION. But what about the problems this may bring?

IT INSTRUCTS THOSE WHO LOVE GOD TO ‘OBEY GOD AS RULER RATHER THAN MEN.’ (Acts 5:29) THUS, AT TIMES, LOYALTY TO GOD MAY RESULT IN YOUR MAKING A DECISION THAT IS UNPOPULAR WITH OTHERS.

ALTHOUGH THE BIBLE MAKES A CLEAR DISTINCTION BETWEEN TRUE AND FALSE TEACHINGS, GOD ALLOWS EACH PERSON THE FREEDOM TO CHOSE HOW HE OR SHE WILL RESPOND. (Deuteronomy 30:19)

NO ONE SHOULD BE FORCED TO WORSHIP IN A WAY THAT HE FINDS UNACCEPTABLE OR BE MADE TO CHOOSE BETWEEN HIS BELIEFS AND HIS FAMILY.

Rather than fear the results, consider the benefits……the bible promotes such wholesome traits as LOYALTY, HONESTY AND INDUSTRIOUSNESS. (Proverbs 31:10-31)

Watchtower July 1 2009 pg 13, 14

Have they found Noahs ark?
Please not at the end how they ‘prove’ the bible right by using the bible. Circular reasoning.

Pg 15-17 A visit to a remarkable printery.
Go and speak to people who have worked there, esp. people who have been there a long time and are then told to leave because the are getting old and slow. Notice how they have no pension plan, insurance etc and struggle to cope.

Pg 27 The Apostolic Fathers.

….Certain ones abandoned the truth and turned to myths. …..John, the last survivour warned of such erroneous teachings and of people ‘who [were] trying to mislead.’ 1 John 2:26

Pg 29 tital wave of error…
By resorting to myth, mystic ideas and philosophy to explain the christian faith, these men opened the way for a tide of error.

The witness of The Apostle John
During the first century, the apostle John warned ‘Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they origiante with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world.’ (1 john 4:1) How appropriate these words were!

…..The apostle John said of such individuals, ‘everyone that pushes ahead and does not remain in the teaching of the CHRIST does not have God.’ (2 John 9) FOR ALL SINCERE SEEKERS OF SCRIPTUAL TRUTH, THIS DIVINELY INSPIRED WARNING WAS AND REMAINS CRYSTAL CLEAR.

The WTS book You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth states on page 147, 'Bible evidence shows that in the year 1914 C.E. God’s time arrived for Christ to return and begin ruling.' It also states 'In the same way, Christ’s return does not mean that he literally comes back to this earth. Rather, it means that he takes Kingdom power toward this earth and turns his attention to it.' In 1Cor 11:26, Paul writes, 'For as often as you eat this loaf and drink this cup, you keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives.' If Christ 'arrived' in 1914, why do Jehovah's Witnesses continue to partake of the bread and wine? Shouldn't they have stopped in 1914?

In Mt 4:10, Jesus clearly has the authority to rebuke Satan and does so. Jude 9 says, 'But when Michael the archangel had a difference with the Devil…he did not dare to bring a judgment against him…but said, 'May Jehovah rebuke you.' If Jesus is Michael the Archangel, why did Michael, refuse to rebuke Satan in Jude 9, when he clearly did so in Mt 4:10?

If hell does not exist but is simply a complete annihilation of the person in which there is no conscious awareness, why does Jesus say in Mk 14:21 that it would be better for Judas if he had never been born?

Since the WTS has received 'new light' regarding the 1914 generation, and completely changed their views on this, does this mean that all the former Witnesses who were disfellowshipped years ago for the same view the organization is now teaching will automatically be accepted back into fellowship again? Were these ex-Witnesses in fact disfellowshipped for what is now taught as 'the Truth'?

Having looked at the Kingdom Interlinear Translation, One of the rules witnesses set for themselves in the foreword is: wherever the Greek words 'Kurios' and 'theos' appear, they will uniformly translate these as 'JEHOVAH.' That is their rule!
Upon coming to Phil. 2:9-11 they fail to translate 'kurios' as Jehovah.
Why?
It would read: 'and every tongue shall openly confess that Jesus is Jehovah to the glory of the Father.'
Coming across I Cor. 12:3 where 'Christos Kurion' appears they allow 'Lord' to remain. Why?
Because it would have read: 'and that no man can say Jesus is Jehovah, but by the Holy Ghost.'
You note, in both cases they broke their own rules, in order to maintain their bias against the deity of Christ. Who are the translators? The convention report of 1953 glibly says 'it was authorized by the Creator.' In 237 places they translate 'Kurios' and 'Theos' as 'Jehovah', why not in 37 places where they failed to do so, leaving Lord stand? Read John 8:24 and Romans 10:9,10,13, Hebrews 1:8.