Pathway in the Sea

Subject: 607 BCE Why it doesn't matter. (Jehovah's Witnesses.)

From: Thad Jones
Sent: Sun, October 2, 2011 11:55:21 AM

Click the chapter title to view the following verse in context:

Jeremiah 23

²⁹Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces?

It deals with false prophets and teachers.

The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society bears witness to itself, not to the Person and work of Jesus Christ.

While attending a wedding on Oct. 1, 2011, I came across an issue of The Watchtower Magazine bearing that date on a park bench. Whoever placed it there certainly had no idea of the unintended consequences its placement in my path would engender.

"Defiance That

Commands Respect"

DURING his ruinous term as German chancellor, Adolf Hitler received tens of thousands

of letters. In 1945, after the Russians occupied

the territory surrounding Berlin, many of these

letters were taken to Moscow and stored there.

Historian Henrik Eberle has examined thousands of such letters in the Moscow archives in

order to study who wrote to Hitler and why.

Eberle published his conclusions in the book

entitled Briefe an Hitler (Letters to Hitler).

"Teachers and students, nuns and priests,

the unemployed and top businessmen, admirals and ordinary storm troopers—they all wrote

to Hitler," says Dr. Eberle. "Some revered him as

the born-again Messiah; others saw in him the

very essence of wickedness." Did Hitler receive

letters of protest from church officials concerning the outrages perpetrated by the National

Socialists, or Nazis? There were some, but such

letters were few and far between.

In the Moscow archives, however, Eberle

found a file containing a number of letters sent

to Hitler by Jehovah's Witnesses from different

parts of Germany, protesting against the conduct of the Nazis. In fact, Witnesses from about

50 countries sent Hitler some 20,000 letters and

telegrams protesting the mistreatment of Jehovah's Witnesses. Thousands of Witnesses were

arrested, and several hundred were executed

or died following ill-treatment by the Nazis.

Dr. Eberle concludes: "In view of the millions

of victims of the Nazi regime, this number [of

Witness victims] appears small. But it nevertheless testifies to an act of collective and

uncompromising defiance that commands respect."

14 THE WATCHTOWER ˙ OCTOBER 1,2011

The focus of this article is the supposed "superiority" of Jehovah's Witnesses over other Christian sects.Its an obscenity. What about Protestant Christian members of the Dutch Resistance who physically sheltered Jews and lost their lives, liberty and property as a consequence? They weren't Jehovah's Witnesses, so their selflessness and heroism doesn't merit notice?

Earlier that morning, I was blogging on the subject of the Third Reich with regard to George Washington's comment that "The event is in the hand of God."

The Word of God demolishes the self-proclaimed "Watchtower" thus:

John 7

¹⁵And the Jews marvelled, saying, How knoweth this man letters, having never learned?

¹⁶Jesus answered them, and said, My doctrine is not mine, but his that sent me.

¹⁷If any man will do his will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself.

¹⁸He that speaketh of himself seeketh his own glory: but he that seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true, and no unrighteousness is in him.

John 15

²⁰Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also.

²¹But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me.

²²If I had not come and spoken unto them, they had not had sin: but now they have no cloak for their sin.

²³He that hateth me hateth my Father also.

²⁴If I had not done among them the works which none other man did, they had not had sin: but now have they both seen and hated both me and my Father.

²⁵But this cometh to pass, that the word might be fulfilled that is written in their law, They hated me without a cause.

²⁶But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me:

²⁷And ye also shall bear witness, because ye have been with me from the beginning.

John 16

¹These things have I spoken unto you, that ye should not be offended.

²They shall put you out of the synagogues: yea, the time cometh, that whosoever killeth you will think that he doeth God service.

³And these things will they do unto you, because they have not known the Father, nor me.

⁴But these things have I told you, that when the time shall come, ye may remember that I told you of them. And these things I said not unto you at the beginning, because I was with you.

⁵But now I go my way to him that sent me; and none of you asketh me, Whither goest thou?

⁶But because I have said these things unto you, sorrow hath filled your heart.

⁷Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you.

⁸And when he is come, he will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:

⁹Of sin, because they believe not on me;

¹⁰Of righteousness, because I go to my Father, and ye see me no more;

¹¹Of judgment, because the prince of this world is judged.

¹²I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now.

¹³Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come.

¹⁴He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

¹⁵All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you.

¹⁶A little while, and ye shall not see me: and again, a little while, and ye shall see me, because I go to the Father.

2 Corinthians 10

¹Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you:

²But I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.

³For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh:

⁴(For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;)

⁵Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ;

⁶And having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.

⁷Do ye look on things after the outward appearance? if any man trust to himself that he is Christ's, let him of himself think this again, that, as he is Christ's, even so are we Christ's.

⁸For though I should boast somewhat more of our authority, which the Lord hath given us for edification, and not for your destruction, I should not be ashamed:

⁹That I may not seem as if I would terrify you by letters.

¹⁰For his letters, say they, are weighty and powerful; but his bodily presence is weak, and his speech contemptible.

¹¹Let such an one think this, that, such as we are in word by letters when we are absent, such will we be also in deed when we are present.

¹²For we dare not make ourselves of the number, or compare ourselves with some that commend themselves: but they measuring themselves by themselves, and comparing themselves among themselves, are not wise.

¹³But we will not boast of things without our measure, but according to the measure of the rule which God hath distributed to us, a measure to reach even unto you.

¹⁴For we stretch not ourselves beyond our measure, as though we reached not unto you: for we are come as far as to you also in preaching the gospel of Christ:

¹⁵Not boasting of things without our measure, that is, of other men's labours; but having hope, when your faith is increased, that we shall be enlarged by you according to our rule abundantly,

¹⁶To preach the gospel in the regions beyond you, and not to boast in another man's line of things made ready to our hand.

¹⁷But he that glorieth, let him glory in the Lord.

¹⁸For not he that commendeth himself is approved, but whom the Lord commendeth.

As the "Preacher" of Ecclesisastes concludes:

Ecclesiastes 12

⁸Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

⁹And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

¹⁰The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

¹¹The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

¹²And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

¹³Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

¹⁴For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: Thad Jones
Sent: Thu, October 6, 2011 9:19:20 PM
Subject: Re: 607 BCE Why it doesn't matter. (Jehovah's Witnesses.)

From:
To: Thad Jones
Sent: Sun, October 2, 2011 3:18:48 PM
Subject: Re: 607 BCE Why it doesn't matter. (Jehovah's Witnesses.)

Hi Thad,

The presentation of Jeremiah 23 by the NIV brings out the poetry much better.

I found the parallelisms interesting.

Jeremiah 25 is pivotal to the book. At chapter 23, Jeremiah is throwing barbs at the false prophets who claimed they are speaking in behalf of the LORD. This then leads into Jeremiah reiterating the warning that had been given for centuries that the LORD would destroy Judah (as he had done with Israel). Then Jeremiah adds the condemnation that the nations, including Judah, would serve Babylon for 70 years.

When we move to chapters 28 and 29, we see the pattern repeated. At chapter 28, Jeremiah contends with false prophets at Jerusalem, while at chapter 29 he rebukes prophets at Babylon. He then goes back to the 70 years, saying that they must not listen to false prophets who, in Jerusalem and in Babylon, were predicting a swift release from the 70 years of servitude, which they were already experiencing.

I presume you have seen my Critique of the October 1, 2011 Watchtower article on their "chronology".

Have you read James Penton's book on Jehovah's Witnesses and the Third Reich?

Have you read the book on JWs at Auschwitz, which is available from the Auschwitz Museum?

I had two relations murdered there, apart from others who were killed at other locations.

I am not well read, nor educated, in the "man of letters" sense. As brevity is the heart of wit, to reiterate:

As the "Preacher" of Ecclesiastes concludes:

Ecclesiastes 12

⁸Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.

⁹And moreover, because the preacher was wise, he still taught the people knowledge; yea, he gave good heed, and sought out, and set in order many proverbs.

¹⁰The preacher sought to find out acceptable words: and that which was written was upright, even words of truth.

¹¹The words of the wise are as goads, and as nails fastened by the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

¹²And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

¹³Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.

¹⁴For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

As our first parents found, knowledge often does more harm than good, when it is sought for narcissistic purposes. When it is sought for the love of God and the service of others, however, it can yield rich blessings:

1 Corinthians 8

¹Now as touching things offered unto idols, we know that we all have knowledge.Knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth.

²And if any man think that he knoweth any thing, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know.

³But if any man love God, the same is known of him.

Does "winning" an intellectual, academic argument bring the "losers" to faith in Christ or closer to God? The subject of the e-mail is "Why it doesn't matter." While your compendium of information and your lamentable family history are of unquestionable significance, it appears I failed to make the point. This is one of the bitterest pills of the Gospel. The Cross of Jesus Christ is the last thing we are looking for and yet the single object we most desperately need. It is the only true mirror whereby we can see ourselves as God sees us: hopelessly condemned and pricelessly beloved. Jehovah's Witnesses are blind to both of these realities and therefore labor under the delusion that they can and must merit God's approval based on their performance. They don't need to be shown that they are wrong. They need to be told that it's OK. That God has offered and accepted Christ in their place. That Jesus Christ did not come to put them to work, but to give them rest. Is there any room in your busy schedule or your crowded library for that, sir? Or is that not complicated enough for you?

Matthew 11

²⁵At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes.

²⁶Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.

²⁷All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.

²⁸Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

²⁹Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.

³⁰For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

I realize that my tone is hardly endearing. Popularity is among the things Jesus said His service would cost us. I endeavor to be effective in that which is unseen and eternal. There's a war on, you know. Perhaps Jesus' tone in Matt. 11:29 (above) will better express His intentions and good will toward us. It's also a good light in which to examine our own purposes and intents. (As the Father hath sent Me, so send I you...)

In re: Your critique of the 10-1-11 Watchtower, I've perused it.

In re: James Penton's book, the rank and file suffered heroically, but pointlessly.

Ditto for the JW's at Auschwitz.

The leadership, as always, is culpable in that. That is why the 10-1-11 Watchtower article on JW's in the Third Reich is obscene. It cynically promotes itself over other Christian sects on the basis of such pointless suffering and overlooking and suppressing the conscientious suffering of others under the same circumstances.

The juxtaposition of the Holocaust with the contemporary return of Jews to the land of promise is not a mere "parallelism". (It is so characteristic of the fallen human intellect to presume to scrutinize God from "above" as though He were under our microscope, rather than we under His.) The macro-historical focus of my blog post is the excesses of the totalitarian human impulse in the context of the sovereign mastery of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel, Jesus Christ. It underscores the wisdom of due process of law, of checks and balances on state power, and the folly of imbuing Caesar with the prerogatives of God, all of which are expressions of the fear of God, which of course, is the beginning of wisdom. (To immanentize the Christian Eschaton.)

As the worn out saying goes,

Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.

(Oddly, the institutions for education and information in the United States of America

seem hell-bent on inducing historical amnesia in the populace. Do you suppose these are

the "ends" at which they are aimed?:

U.S. Constitution - Preamble

We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defence, promote the generalWelfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.

I somehow doubt it.)