400 lines
18 KiB
Plaintext
400 lines
18 KiB
Plaintext
AWAKEN ISSUE #6
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JEHOVAH GOD INFORMS THE FOLLOWERS OF THE WATCH TOWER TO
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JOIN IN AND CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS DAY ASWELL AS INFORMING
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THEM OF SUITABLE GIFTS.
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ZION'S WATCH TOWER, Dec. 15, 1903, pg. 457:
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"This review is perhaps as appropriate a lesson for the closing
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Sunday of the year as any, especially when we remember that all
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of these glories and blessings and priviledges are ours because
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of the great redemption work accomplished by him whose entrance
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upon the work is celebrated by Christmas day. Although we cannot
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agree that this is the proper day for celebrating the birth of
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dear Redemeer, but must insist that it was about October first,
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nevertheless, since he did not intimate his desire that we
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should celebrate his birthday it is quite immaterial upon what
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day that event, of so great importance to all, is celebrated.
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Upon this day, so generally celebrated, we may properly enough
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join with all whose hearts are in the attitude of love and
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appreciation toward God and toward the Saviour.
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The habit of giving little remembrances one to another at this
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time of year seems to us specially appropriate."
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ZION'S WATCH TOWER, Dec. 01, 1904, pg. 364 :
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"Even though Christmas is not the real anniversary of our Lord's
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birth, but more properly the annunciation day or the date of his
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human begetting (Luke 1:28), nevertheless, since the celebration
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of our Lord's birth is not a matter of divine appointment or
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injunction, but merely a tribute of respect to him, it is not
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necessary for us to quibble perticularily about the date. We may
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as well join with the civilized world in celebrating the grand
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event on the day which the majority celebrate - "Christmas day.""
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ZION'S WATCH TOWER, Nov. 15, 1907, pg. 351:
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" "SCRIPTURE STUDIES" AS CHRISTMAS GIFTS
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Dear Friends :-
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It might interest you to know that we are already
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offering the books for "Christmas gifts." We find that
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many secure their Christmas presents several months
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ahead, and that this month is the one in which many
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are very please to secure "such a beautiful, appropri-
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ate, and above all such a reasonable [in price] gift !"
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Often we can get orders for several sets in one home,
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in view of the fact that the books make such splendid
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gifts. Today we got more than one order on this ac-
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count. We mention this because we think it might
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help wonderfully during the next six weeks in securing
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orders from people who would perhaps not buy for
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their own use. We say "Many are taking them for
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gifts, and it is of course a compliment to a friend's in-
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telligence to give him a book, especially a work of
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this kind, and you get the entire three for only 98 cents!""
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THE WATCH TOWER, Jan. 15, 1919, pg. 32 :
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" A MESSAGE OF GRATITUDE
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To THE DEAR FRIENDS EVERYWHERE:-
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Grace, mercy and peace be multiplied unto you!
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Am taking advantage of an opportunity to dictate this note
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to extend to all the dear friends throughout the United Sates
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and Canada my heartfelt thanks for the great love bestowed
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upon us and manifested in the numerous Christmas presents
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which I and my associates have received, as well as cards,
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letters and messages of love. May the Lord bless you one
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and all !
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I am unable to write you personally, and so am asking that
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this general message be given you. I am overwhelmed by
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you expressions of love, dear brethren. May the Lord re-
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ward you richly !
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Your brother and servant by his grace.
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J. F. RUTHERFORD."
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NOTE - J.F. Rutherford was the President of the Watch Tower Bible
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and Tract Society of Pennsylvania, when the above letter
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was printed in the pages of The Watch Tower.
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THE WATCH TOWER, Dec. 15, 1926, pg. 371:
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"Students of the Scriptures also know that the birth of the
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babe Jesus did not take place in December; yet because of the
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general belief upon this point by most people, it seems to be
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an appropriate time to speak the truth concerning his birth
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and the purpose thereof. The Scriptural testimony, supported
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by extranous facts, shows that the birth of Jesus occured
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approximately October 1st. The event is so important that it
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is always appropriate to call it to the minds of the people,
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regradless of the date."
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1975 YEARBOOK OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, page 147 & 148:
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"Yes, in those early days, dedicated Christians commemorated
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birthdays. Well then, why not celebrate the supposed brithday
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of Jesus ? This they also did for many years. In Pastor Russell's
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day, Christmas was celebrated at the old Bible house in
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Allegheny, Pennsylvania. Ora Sullivan Wakefield recalls that
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Brother Russell gave members of the Bible House family five-
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or ten-dollar gold peices at Christmas. Mabel P. M. Philbrick
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remarks: "A custom that certainly would not be carried on today
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was the celebration of Christmas with a Christmas tree in the
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Bethel dining room. Brother Russell's usual 'Good morning, all'
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was changed to 'Merry Christmas, all.'""
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THE WATCH TOWER, 01/15/1917, p 22:
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"Following the election Brother Rutherford, addressing the the meeting,
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said in part:..."The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society is the
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greatest corporation in the world, because from the time of its
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organization until now the Lord has used it as his channel through
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which to make known the glad tidings...".
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1939 YEARBOOK OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES, P 85:
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"It should be expected that the Lord would have a means of
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communicating to his people on the earth, and he has clearly shown
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that the magazine called The Watch Tower is used for that purpose."
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NEW YORK KING'S COUNTY CLERKS'S COURT RECORD, 1940, vol. II, p 795:
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Fred W. Franz on the witness stand:
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"Q. Who subsequently becamse the Editor of the magazine, the main editor
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of the "Watch Tower" magazine ?
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A. In 1931, October 15th, as I recall, the "Watch Tower" discontinued
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publishing the names of any editorial committee on the second page.
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THE COURT: He asked you who became the editor.
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THE WITNESS: And it said --
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THE COURT: Who became the editor ?
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Q. Who became the editor when this was discontinued ?
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A. Jehovah God."
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Fred W. Franz later became the President of the Watchtower Bible and
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Tract Society and remains in that position to this day. So we see that
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Jehovah God is the editor of the Watch Tower.
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Olin R. Moyle, v F.W.Franz, et al. Libel suit testimony, May 10th to
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May 27th, 1943, New York Supreme Court, Appellate Division:
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Fred W. Franz on the witness stand, sections 2596 & 2597 -
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"Q. At any rate, Jehovah God is now the editor of the paper, is that
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right ?
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A. He is today the editor of the paper.
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Q. How long has he been editor of the paper ?
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A. Since its inception he has been guiding it.
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Q. Even before 1931 ?
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A. Yes, sir."
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Nathan Homer Knorr on the witness stand, at the same Olin Myle trial,
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sections 4420 & 4421 :
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"Q. But you don't make any mention in the fore part of your Watch
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Tower that "We are not infallible and subject to correction and
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may make mistakes" ?
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A. We have never claimed infallibility.
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Q. But you don't make any such statement, that you are subject to
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correction, in your Watch Tower papers do you ?
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A. Not that I recall.
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Q. In fact, it is set forth directly as God's Word, isn't it ?
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A. Yes, as His Word.
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Q. Without any qualification whatsoever ?
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A. That is right.".
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NOTE - that at the time of the above trial, Mr. Nathan H. Knorr
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was already the President of the Watch Tower Society.
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So we see that Mr Fred W. Franz, the present president of the Watch
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Tower, stated under oath in a court of law that Jehovah God was the
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editor of The Watch Tower since it's inception.
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So we see that Mr. Nathan H. Knorr, while he was president of the
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Watch Tower, stated under oath in a court of law that The Watch Tower
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is set forth directly as God's Word.
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So we see that from the time of its organization until now God has
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used The Watch Tower as his channel through which to make known the
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glad tidings.
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If one is to believe the Watch Tower, then one must believe that
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Jehovah God has made errors. It seems that it was Jehovah God's fault
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for editing the Watch Tower incorrectly. It seems that it was Jehovah
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God who misguided The Watch Tower since The Watch Tower is set forth
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directly as God's word. It seems that Jehovah God made mistaken tidings
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known to The Watch Tower since it is Jehovah God's channel through which
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tidings are made known.
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If Jehovah God was not wrong then why do Jehovah's Witnesses no longer
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celebrate Christmas ? Surely, Jehovah God would not have informed his
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followers via The Watch Tower to do something which was wrong! Surely,
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Jehovah God knew history and knew the background about Decemeber 25th.
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Why did Jehovah God tell the readers of the Watch Tower that :
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" Upon this day, so generally celebrated, we may properly enough
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join with all whose hearts are in the attitude of love and
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appreciation toward God and toward the Saviour." ?
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Why did Jehovah God tell the readers of the Watch Tower that :
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"it is not necessary for us to quibble perticularily about the date.
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We may as well join with the civilized world in celebrating the grand
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event on the day which the majority celebrate - "Christmas day." ?
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Why did Jehovah God encourage readers of the Watch Tower to give
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Watch Tower publications as Christmas gifts ?
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Why did Jehovah God tell the readers of the Watch Tower that the
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giving of gifts was appropriate : " The habit of giving little
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remembrances one to another at this time of year seems to us
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specially appropriate." ?
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Could it be that Jehovah God was not then or ever the editor of any
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Watch Tower publication ?
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Could it be that The Watch Tower is not set forth directly as God's
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word ?
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Could it be that Jehovah God does not use the Watch Tower society as
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God's channel for anykind of communications ?
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Could it be that both Mr Franz and Mr Knorr had LIED about Jehovah God's
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direction of the Watch Tower organization, while under oath ?
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If Jehovah God is not editing the Watch Tower, then it must be edited
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by normal humans ? If Jehovah God's ideas are not directly being printed
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in the Watch Tower, then it must be normal human ideas which are being
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presented as coming from Jehovah God ? If Jehovah God is not using the
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Watch Tower as his only channel of communications, then for whom is the
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Watch Tower channelling ?
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I'll now quote from the Watchtower book called MAN'S SALVATION
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OUT OF WORLD DISTRESS AT HAND!, see page 136:
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"Furthermore, the remnant of spiritual Israel had for decades,
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yes, since the year 1876, been looking forward to the ending of the
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Times of the Gentiles in the autumn of 1914. They were expressing
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God's Messianic kingdom to be fully established in the heavens
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by then and also for the remnant of spiritual Israel to be
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glorified with Jesus Christ in the heavenly kingdom at that time.
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All understanding of the Holy scriptures was slanted in that
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direction or adjusted to that idea. And when the year 1941 ended
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amid the flames of World War I and the remnant of spiritual Israel
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found themselves still here on earth, then they were inclined to
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think that they would be glorified in the year 1918, three and a
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half years after the end of the Gentile Times."
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NOTE: the book from which this quote was taken was printed in 1975.
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The fact is stated clearly by the Watchtower that these spiritual
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Israelites "SLANTED" their understanding of the Holy Scriptures or
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they "ADJUSTED" the Holy Scriptures to that idea. The title
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Spiritual Israelites is just another name for followers of the
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Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Pennsylvania. Is that any way
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for GOD's only channel of communication and GOD's prophet to behave ?
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This is clear evidence that the Watchtower SLANTED and ADJUSTED
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the Holy Scriptures to their own ideas. If they did it in the past,
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how are you to know that they have stopped doing such things ?
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Quoting again from "1975 YEARBOOK OF JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES", pg. 146:
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"God's people had to adjust their thinking about 1925, for instance.
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Expectations of restoration and blessing were attached to it
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because they felt that that year would mark then end of seventy
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jubilees of fifty years each since the Israelites had entered
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Canaan. (Lev. 25:1-12) A.D. Schroeder states : "It was thought that
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then the remenant of Christ's anointed followers would go to heaven
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to be part of the Kingdom and that the faithful men of old, such as
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Abraham, David and others would be resurrected as princes to take
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over the government of the earth as part of God's kingdom."
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The year 1925 came and went. Jesus' anointed followers were still on
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earth as a class. The faithful men of old times - Abraham, David and
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others - had not been resurrected to become princes in the earth. (Ps.
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45:16) So, as Anna MacDonald recalls: "1925 was a sad year for many
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brothers. Some of them were stumbled; their hopes were dashed. They
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had hoped to see some of the 'ancient worthies' [men of old like
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Abraham] resurrected. Instead of its being considered a 'probability,'
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they read into it that it was a 'certainty,' and some prepared for
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their own loved ones with expectancy of their resurrection."
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So the Watch Tower uses someone's quote to wash itself of all
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responsibility for the failed 1925 prophecy. Let's see what was actually
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written in the Watch Tower publications. Let's see if the Watch Tower
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implied a 'probability' or implied 'certainty'.
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From the Watch Tower's book "MILLIONS NOW LIVING WILL NEVER DIE",
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1920, pg. 89 & 90:
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"Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return
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of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old, particularly
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those named by the Apostle in Hebrews chapter eleven, to the condition
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of human perfection."
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From the Watch Tower's book "MILLIONS NOW LIVING WILL NEVER DIE",
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1920, pg. 97 :
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"Based upon the arguement hereforth set forth, then, that the old order
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of things, the old world, is ending and is therefore passing away, and
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that the new order is coming in, and that 1925 shall mark the
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resurrection of the faithful worthies of old and the beginning of
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reconstruction, it is reasonable to conclude that that millions of people
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now on earth will be still on the earth in 1925. Then, based upon the
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promises set forth in the divine Word, we must reach the positive and
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indistputable conclusion that millions now living will never die."
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THE WATCH TOWER, April 01, 1923, pg. 106:
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"Our thought is, that 1925 is definitely settled by the Scriptures,
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marking then end of the typical jubilees."
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THE WATCH TOWER, April 01, 1923, pg. 106:
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"As to Noah, the Christian now has much more upon which to base his
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faith than Noah had (so far as the Scriptures reveal) upon which
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to base his faith in a coming deluge."
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THE WATCH TOWER, July 15, 1924, pg. 211 :
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"The year 1925 is a date definitely and clearly marked in the
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Scriptures, even more clearly than that of 1914;"
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ALL the words used did indicate 'certainty' and not 'probability',
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as one can see from reading the above. Was the Watch Tower trying to
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mislead people about what Jehovah God had told Watch Tower followers
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during the early 1920s ? It is clear, that Jehovah God directed the
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Watch Tower's followers with FALSE information regading 1925 ! How
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could Jehovah God have done such a thing ? Remember that Jehovah God
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is the editor at the Watch Tower.
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Either that or this is another case of false teachings which originated
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in humans but were presented as being from Jehovah God. In either case,
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is this the type of religious organization with which one would want to
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be involved with ? You can decide for yourself, but the facts speak for
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themselves !
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-------------- end of issue #6 ---------------
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Please share the info found in these issues of AWAKEN with other
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members of the faith to which you belong. Consider using this
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info within publications issued to members of your faith. One
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example is to use this info within Church bulletins. People need
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to become informed about the Watch Tower and it's teachings. Why ?
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Jehovah's Witnesses go door to door preaching whatever the
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Watch Tower has told them to preach. They are trained weekly to
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respond to any and all objections to their preaching. They are
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told by the Watch Tower that the Watch Tower is the only TRUTH
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and that the Watch Tower is the only TRUE religion. They are
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told by the Watch Tower that all other faiths, teach
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false teachings because all other faiths are agents of SATAN.
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They have no qualms attacking any and all aspects your belief
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system, when they come on their un-asked for visits. They are
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trained to SELL you on the Watch Tower's teachings, just as they
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themselves had been SOLD.
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By becoming informed about the Watch Tower, one will be better
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prepared to decide whether one should get invloved with this group.
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Copyright (c) 1991 by Vince Banial, Toronto Ontario Canada.
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This material cannot be incorporated into any book without the
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empress and written permission of Vince Banial. This file may be
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freely uploaded to any BBS, as long as it remains unchanged.
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