Paradise Cafe Discussions - A Place For Bible Research And Christian Encouragement

Many Jehovah's witnesses find their field service boring. What's wrong? Serving Jehovah should bring joy.

Then they always say that they are Jehovah's servants, but I have never heard, as long as I remember that they would call themselves ministers of Christ. Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy:
By giving these advices to the brothers you will be a fine minister of Christ Jesus,-1Timothy 4:6 (NWT)
To be perfect is not easy. You have to remember that you are both a worshiper of Jehovah God and a minister of Christ.

This verse is in the same spirit:
As a fine soldier of Christ Jesus take your part in suffering evil.-2Timothy 2:3 (NWT)
Also apostle Paul often talked about himself as an apostle of Jesus Christ.
Why do the Watchtower-society say that you should wait on Jehovah when matters are not right in the congregation or in the organization, when it is Jesus who is the head of the congregation? Would it not be more appropriate to say that you should wait on Jesus?

An other question, why do Jehovah's witnesses call themselves Jehovah's witnesses? Would it not be more appropriate to call themselves witnesses of Jesus?
In Revelation 17:6 (NWT) it's written: And I saw that the woman was drunk with the blood of the holy ones and with the blood of the witnesses of Jesus.
This is not the only place in the Bible wich refers christians to be witnesses of Jesus.
Here are some more:
Jesus says in Acts 1:8 (NWT):
but YOU will receive power when the holy spirit arrives upon YOU, and YOU will be witnesses of me both in Jerusalem and in all Ju·de´a and Sa·mar´i·a and to the most distant part of the earth.”
Here is an other place in the Scriptures:
and for many days he became visible to those who had gone up with him from Gal´i·lee to Jerusalem, who are now his witnesses to the people.- Acts 13:31 (NWT)

There are more scriptures telling that the first centry christians were primarly witnesses to Jesus.
The Watchtower-society trys to give guidance to God's people. They say that they closely follow the example of the first centry christians. But did the first centry christians call themselves Jehovah's witnesses? No, there is no mention about it. And even when they where witnesses to Jesus, they did not use that as a name, they did not call themselves Jesus' witnesses. What did they call themselves to be then?
In Acts 11:26 (NWT) we have the answer: it was first in Antioch that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians.

Now Jehovah's witnesses say they belong to the Watchtower-society. But in the first centry to what did the first centry christians say they belong? Here some scriptures:

and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, in order that he might bring bound to Jerusalem any whom he found who belonged to The Way, both men and women. -Acts 9:2 (NWT)

But when some went on hardening themselves and not believing, speaking injuriously about The Way before the multitude, he withdrew from them and separated the disciples from them,-Acts 19:9 (NWT)

However, Felix, knowing quite accurately the matters concerning this Way, began to put the [men] off and said: “Whenever Lys´i·as the military commander comes down, I shall decide upon these matters involving YOU.” -Acts 24:22

What is The Way then? Well Jesus said he is the Way, but that the christians in the first centry could well explaine that the Way refers to the right way of living, believing, and worshiping God.
There is a well used scripture used by the WT-society fitting to this description, Isaiah 30:21 (NWT):
And your own ears will hear a word behind you saying: “This is the way. Walk in it, YOU people,”

I'm I too critical to the Watchtower-society? Well, my intention is not to tear them down. But to in one way or other to correct things that are not right. I hope those taking the lead among them will spy on us and take lessions from us.

I've the same attitude as expressed in the words of Jesus Our Lord:
“Do not think I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I came, not to destroy, but to fulfill;- Matthew 5:17 (NWT)

I'm happy that they took away a burdensome meeting evening recently. And it seems that there is hope for more necessary changes.

With brotherly love to you all
Jan

Your intent, from a heart loving what is right, is clearly evident brother Jan.
Are you too critical of the wtbts? :no: Absolutely not! Your words are true, balanced - and mild in comparison ---

Matthew 23:13
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You shut the kingdom of heaven in men's faces. You yourselves do not enter, nor will you let those enter who are trying to.

Matthew 23:15
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are.

Matthew 23:23
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.

Matthew 23:25
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

Matthew 23:27
"Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of dead men's bones and everything unclean.

Mark 7:6
He replied, "Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you hypocrites; as it is written: " 'These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.

Will the society listen to what is wise and good from any of us "nobodies"? It doesn't hurt to try(unless it ends up with you being cast out and separated from family), but I don't think it will help... I hope I'm wrong...

Matthew 13:33 "You snakes! You brood of vipers! How will you escape being condemned to hell? 34 Therefore I am sending you prophets and wise men and teachers. Some of them you will kill and crucify; others you will flog in your synagogues and pursue from town to town.


Did you know, brother, that here in the USA there are gatherings of "Witnesses for Jesus" who broke away from wtbts? They found the words you wrote to be very true and it moved them to form yet another religious sect....

:friends:Love to you brother - hang in there - we're in this together! :grouphug:

:peace:

Good observations my brother... Witnesses of Jesus... I like that.

And while I agree that we should all be witnesses of Jesus, have you ever taken a look at the scriptures that they cite to prove that people should go from house to house? Acts 5:42 says in Greek: "ἐν τῷ ἱερῷ καὶ κατ’ οἶκον," or in the Temple and according/to house." So, a better translation might be: "in the Temple and in [your] homes," for it does not say "house to house."

I doubt that Paul actually went from house to house through neighborhoods, because there is no other mention of it in his writings. He spoke mostly in synagogues and in public places.

And while we're at it: Notice what Paul wrote at Ephesians 4:11: "Some are Apostles, some are Prophets, some are messengers of the good news, and some are shepherds and teachers."

Notice that not all in the congregation were "messengers of the good news" (gr. tous de euaggelistas, or they of good message). And this was as much a gift of the spirit as was being appointed an Apostle or Prophet.

I shudder to think of how many times I've gone from house to house with fine brothers who obviously had no such gift or appointment, and had no business going out to preach.

Several years ago, I had a call from a brother who told me in his conversation that he worked (or had worked) in the office of Albert Schroeder (GB), and he was given an assignment by Schroeder (that sly fox) to find scriptures that supported the preaching work. So I asked him, "Did you find any?" And he said, "No."

You also quoted 1 Timothy 4:6, as saying, "By giving these advices to the brothers you will be a fine minister of Christ Jesus."

I don't know if the word minister carries the same nuance in your language (Swedish?) as it does in English, but translating it as minister gives the false impression that Paul was urging Timothy to preach. However, in Greek the words are, "καλὸς ἔσῃ διάκονος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦς," or, "fine you/will/be servant of/Jesus the/Anointed."

So, the NWT tries to be deliberately misleading, since the word minister in English is only used to describe preachers or heads of state.

Several factors influenced Joseph Rutherford to select the name Jehovah's Witnesses. One of significance was the Revised Standard Version of the Bible that cam out in the 1920's and omitted the name Jehovah altogether. Its predecessor the American Standard Bible had the name Jehovah used extensively in the OT. So the English/Spanish spelling for YHWH found an advocate in Rutherford and the Witnesses.

He could have named his group Jehovah's Christian Witnesses and avoided all the angst that has gone along with omitting Christ from their name.

As for knocking on doors and offering to teach the public the Bible I beleive in what Jesus said to his disciples- Mark 9:40: 'He that is not against us is for us'.

The challenge is- what are we doing for Christ in our community.
What are we doing to help humanity and this earth that God has placed in our care.

In Christ

designs

Hi brother Jim,
Thanks for your nice and interesting comments :thumbup:

In Swedish we got a new revised NWT, and it differed a lot from the earlier. They even told us not to use the old one anymore. I agree with that, the old was not easy to read. But the new NWT in Swedish is really good. It is to my opinion even better than the English. They have not tried to change the meaning of all those scriptures where they have done it in English, including this place to be a minister of Jesus. In Swedish there is the word 'tjänare' in the place of minister, wich means servant in Swedish. I did not know that the word minister in English was closely connected to preaching.

An other example is Hebrews 10:23 Let us hold fast the public declaration of our hope without wavering,
In the Swedish NWT they use instead of public declaration, the expression public confession.
Låt oss hålla fast vid den offentliga bekännelsen av vårt hopp utan att vackla, ty han som gav löftet är trofast.

Then once I wanted to show from the NWT in Russian to a brother, but the meaning was the opposit in Russian. It was Zachariah 11:10 wich says: So I took my staff Pleasantness and cut it to pieces, in order to break my covenant that I had concluded with all the peoples.
Я взял свой посох Удовольствие и сломал его, чтобы расторгнуть соглашение, которое я заключил с моим народом.
But in Russian they had translated it with my people.

So I could not prove it to the Russian brother that Jehovah will have a covenant with all the peoples. I wanted to use this place to show that there will be peace and security on earth. But according to 1Thessalonians 5:3 while they say peace and security a sudden destruction will come over them. That should mean that when this covenant with all the peoples is broken the peace and security will be broken.
I just can guess that the Russian translators could not believe that before the end Jehovah can have a covenant with all the peoples, so they changed it to a covenant with my (God's) people.

It was interesting to hear that the WT-society has been surching for places about preaching and had difficulties with that. I wrote to them about it in April 2008. Then they made a drama about it in the last summer convention. I do not know if you have seen it, but I was there and saw it. The main person in the drama was a former elder who badly influenced on the congregation saying: Now when it has been so widely preached it is better to concentrate on helping the poor.
He even said: Prove me wrong with the Bible if you can!
But there was no answer from the Bible in the drama, but the drama ended with that this former elder was exposed as merchant of idols.

I'll be back later on how I now understand how the preaching work should be done, in the similar line as you pointed out.

With brotherly love
Jan

Well, there are truly some honest-hearted people in the Society's Writing Department, and perhaps they can succeed, despite all the scrutiny of the Service Department.

So, the drama didn't really address the matter scripturally, but depicted the former elder as having evil motives... how interesting. We call that propaganda here.

As for your scripture in Zechariah, the Septuagint says, "‘Then I’ll take My stick, the one [I called] Beauty, and I will throw it away, to erase the Agreement that I made with My people. It’ll be erased in that day, and those in CanaAn who have guarded My sheep, will know that this is the word of Jehovah."

So, it indicates that the covenant that will be erased is the covenant with Israel. No matter which view is right, we both wish to know accurately, and a good Bible translation is what they need to provide in all languages.

Hi Jan, We were all taught to use and promote God's personal name,
espically in prayer. Yet, Jesus and the first cent. Christians never used a personal name in prayer.
I'd rather be in the Way, then in the truth!

e-magine.

I would say that is an open historical question. These were Jews, and while the holy name of God was under a cloud of superstition in that era, Jews knew the name (YHWH). It was still being written by Jews in the Christian Era.

The Apostle John's use of JAH in Revelation 19 shows how the holy angles of heaven feel about the Name.

I'm all for keeping God's name on Christian lips. It should be part of our worship.

I would argue also that Jesus invoked the Name of his Father when he rebuked Satan by quoting the Shema of Deut. in the accounts of Matthew and Mark. After all it the Jesus as the Word who spoke those words originally to the Chosen People..

In Christ

designs

There are so many good comments here.:grouphug:

I would like to interject a thought. First, I would like to say that JW's preaching HAS promoted the name Jehovah, the fact that Jesus has a Father, and instilled the desire in my heart to share publicly my over abundance of the heart. So, I do take the good with me as I live separated from the WTBTS.

That being said...

Would the preaching work as they knew it, be done away with along with the other gifts of the spirit?

In the sense that, although, we speak our public declarations; that we are not bound by the door to door preaching?

Just sharing my thoughts, Debbie

Actually, the Name Jehovah was quite well known at the turn of the 20th Century, and many preachers -- and the American Standard Bible -- used it quite frequently. However, today the Name is seldom used, and many have come to hate it. Who do you suppose is responsible for this?

Hi Jim and Isomam, I would like to share with some parts of the letters wich wrote to the Governing Body in the spring last year. (But I got no reply)

About wineskins, in a letter sent 30 of March. But first a letter about preaching, letter sent 13 april 2008. (But I did not tell them that the elders had just a few weeks ago disfellowshiped me.)

From Jan Kosonen, also an anointed brother
On this week we have the circuit oversee's visit in our congregation. I was overjoied when he told that in this year 38 persons partook from the symbols. Last year it was 31 in Sweden. I hope there has been a similar increase in all the world.

Then he had a talk on how to work at our territories more intensively. I suppose that talk is the same everywere, were we can preach legally. I understand that you want to fullfill your ministry. But do you not think that it is possible, sometimes to exagerate, in our efforts in declaring the good news? Is it not true that it is allways possible to exagerate in everything? And that it is hard to find balance in life in all matters?

To be resonable is important, that is what Paul says in Philipians 4:5:  Let YOUR reasonableness become known to all men.
Also James wrote about it in James 3:17: But the wisdom from above is first of all chaste, then peaceable, reasonable...

So, how to let our "reasonableness become known to all men", even to the people at our territories? Let us search guidance in God's word.

Jesus gave us instructions to the preaching work. He said in Matthew 10:14: "Wherever anyone does not take YOU in or listen to YOUR words, on going out of that house or that city shake the dust off YOUR feet." And in Luke 10:10,11 it is written: But wherever YOU enter into a city and they do not receive YOU, go out into its broad ways and say, 11 ‘Even the dust that got stuck to our feet from YOUR city we wipe off against YOU. Nevertheless, keep this in mind, that the kingdom of God has come near.’

So, we can be reasonable by leaving in peace those, who do not want to listen. And leaving them, we can say to them: Nevertheless, keep this in mind, that the kingdom of God has come near.’
And in Matthew 10:23: When they persecute YOU in one city, flee to another; for truly I say to YOU, YOU will by no means complete the circuit of the cities of Israel until the Son of man arrives.

So, Jesus was not overly concerned about non-interested persons, but he was reasonable. And we should follow his example.

Our assignment is to find "who in it is deserving" according Matthew 10:11. And therefore we should not force people to become deserving. Otherwise they might become Jehovah's wittnesses and believers, but not really from the heart.

We want of course not, that Jesus would apply on us, what he said in Matthew 23:15: Woe to YOU, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! because YOU traverse sea and dry land to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one YOU make him a subject for Ge·hen´na twice as much so as yourselves.

So, if people shut the door just as they see us, we know that it is better to leave them for a longer time.

Then, what difference is there in the manner of spreading the "good news about the kingdom" between the anointed ones and the other sheep? In Revelation 9 we have the description of both groupes. And what's the difference? The anointed are figured by the locusts wich torment people, and the other sheep are figured by those seated on horses. But those seated on horses do not torment or kill, but it does their horses.
Revelation 9:17,19: ...I saw the horses in the vision, and those seated on them... For the authority of the horses is in their mouths and in their tails.
So, what are the horses? Is it not the litterature? So, the anointed are capabel to talk about God's kingdom them selves, but for the other sheep it is difficult. Therefore they have the horses who talk for them, the litterature.

So, I would like to advise you, to refine this approch to the spreading of the good news. That means, let the other sheep spread tracts in an effective manner. May be even just leaving the tract in the letter-box. But let the anointed ones continue to knock the doors like before. And they could follow Jesus's instruction fore the introduce, like what is written in Matthew 10:7: As YOU go, preach, saying, ‘The kingdom of the heavens has drawn near'.

Have you remarked that it is difficult fore the other sheep to talk about God's kingdom? But it is much easier for them to talk about true religion, last days and paradise. Before I got anointed, it was like that for me too. But now as anointed I really love to talk about God's kingdom. I have even used in my introduce Jesus's words in Luke 10:9: ‘The kingdom of God has come near to YOU.’

And now, as it is still possible to become anointed, the theme about God's kingdom is still very actual. Isaiah 66:21 tells us that Jehovah will anoint some of those who becomes believers still in our time: “And from them also I shall take some for the priests, for the Levites,” Jehovah has said.
And Revelation 5:9 says: "and with your blood you bought persons for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God".

So, because we have not yet preached especially much in countries with restrictions, we could expect that it will be possible in the future, and that we will se the number of anointed to increase.


We know that we shuold follow the example left by the christian congregation in the first centry in spreading the good news. We know that they quickly spread the good news. But what did they do when people allready knew about it? Some went to new territories, other could not. But Peter wrote what to do in 1Peter 3:15: But sanctify the Christ as Lord in YOUR hearts, always ready to make a defense before everyone that demands of YOU a reason for the hope in YOU,...
And Paul wrote according to The Kingdom Interlinear Translation in Hebrew 10:23 "may we be holding down the confession of the hope not inclining";
You see here he talks about confessing of the hope, and not preaching. When people around us know, that we are Jehovah's new people, the real Israel, they will of course wounder and ask us questions, and we defend the reason for the hope and confess in what we believe.

Have you ever wondered why the apostles urged so little, to spead the good news in their letters to the congregations? For example in Titus 3:8 Paul urges instead to do fine works. " Faithful is the saying, and concerning these things I desire you to make firm assertions constantly, in order that those who have believed God may keep their minds on maintaining fine works. These things are fine and beneficial to men.
Jesus said a similar thing in Matthew 5:16: Likewise let YOUR light shine before men, that they may see YOUR fine works and give glory to YOUR Father who is in the heavens.
In James 1:27 it is also written in the same manner: "The form of worship that is clean and undefiled from the standpoint of our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their tribulation, and to keep oneself without spot from the world."

The main point of the letters of the apostles is to become worthy the kingdom as a person, to become holy in all aspects, to the degree the Bible tells. We have to become that here on earth. And that is possible by God's holy spirit.

So, let us become reasonable in our efforts in convincing people about the good news of the kingdom. Then we will be able to do the other things commanded in God's word.

So, if you have some questions, please, contact me directly or throught the elders in Skärholmen congregation in Sweden. I would also be pleased to be invited to serve in Bethel or in other way fulltime in God's congregation, as you know we anointed are a special priesthood according to 1Peter 2:9,10:

But YOU are “a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for special possession, that YOU should declare abroad the excellencies” of the one that called YOU out of darkness into his wonderful light. 10 For YOU were once not a people, but are now God’s people; YOU were those who had not been shown mercy, but are now those who have been shown mercy.

Your brother

Jan Kosonen

To the governing body 30 March 2008
From Jan Kosonen, also an anointed brother

I read a very nice article in the Watchtower for 15 of April 2008. The article is completly about searching God's guidance in everything. Have you seen what God's word gives as for guidance to our meetings? How frequent should they be?
Christian meetings
What guidance does God's word give to how often organize cristian meetings?
As all the Scriptures are inspired and beneficial, we should not reject what is written in Isaiah 66:23 and Ezekiel 46:1-3. These verses tell that we should come together once a week and have an extra meeting once a month.

In Isaiah 66:23 it's written: “And it will certainly occur that from new moon to new moon and from sabbath to sabbath all flesh will come in to bow down before me,” Jehovah has said.
And in Ezekiel 46:1-3 it's written: “This is what the Sovereign Lord Jehovah has said, ‘As regards the gate of the inner courtyard that is facing east, it should continue shut for the six workdays, and on the sabbath day it should be opened, and on the day of the new moon it should be opened. 2 And the chieftain must come in by the way of the porch of the gate, from outside, and stand by the doorpost of the gate; and the priests must render up his whole burnt offering and his communion sacrifices, and he must bow down upon the threshold of the gate, and he must go out, but the gate itself should not be shut until the evening. 3 And the people of the land must bow down at the entrance of that gate on the sabbaths and on the new moons, before Jehovah.

That is the principle: once a week and a extra meeting once a month. How do you like it? It is a wonderfull guidance to the matter, right in God's word, the Bible. We should not hesistate to believe in this, because we have two bible verses confirming the matter, according to the the words of Jesus, the head of the congregation, in Matthew 18:16 "in order that at the mouth of two or three witnesses every matter may be established".

In fact, coming to meeting after a hard day of work with 4 children is extreamly difficult, and also to prepare to all the meeting programs and if you have to prepare talks too and of course read the Bible also and to have a family bible study. We know that the Pharisees liked to burden the people with their own rules, as it is written in Matthew 23:4: "They bind up heavy loads and put them upon the shoulders of men, but they themselves are not willing to budge them with their finger". But Jesus was different. He said in Matthew 11:28-30: "Come to me, all YOU who are toiling and loaded down, and I will refresh YOU. 29 Take my yoke upon YOU and learn from me, for I am mild-tempered and lowly in heart, and YOU will find refreshment for YOUR souls. 30 For my yoke is kindly and my load is light.”

I once asked an elder if he prepares to all meeting programs and does all what the governing body requires, and he replyed: "No, but I do not tell anybody". So too heavy requirements brings forth hypocrisy. And Jesus said in Luke 12:1: “Watch out for the leaven of the Pharisees, which is hypocrisy."

So if we would have a meeting once a week and a extra meeting once a month, what could they be like? Here we have an other thing to correct. In Corinthians 14:33 it's written: As in all the congregations of the holy ones, 34 let the women keep silent in the congregations, for it is not permitted for them to speak, but let them be in subjection, even as the Law says. 35 If, then, they want to learn something, let them question their own husbands at home, for it is disgraceful for a woman to speak in a congregation. And in 1Timothy 2:11 it's written:  Let a woman learn in silence with full submissiveness. 12 I do not permit a woman to teach, or to exercise authority over a man, but to be in silence. So our sisters should not speak to the congregation by partaking in the program. But sing they can together with all the congregation. Somebody could try to make Pauls words invalid in chapter 14 using chapter 11. But it is not logic. In the verses 4-14 in 1Corinthians 11 the matter is about praying and prophesying at home or when preaching. Otherwise Paul is contradicting himself, wich is impossible.
How long should the meeting programs be? What guidance do we get in God's word? In Mark 4:33 we have the example of Jesus: "he would speak the word to them, as far as they were able to listen." For example the sermon on the mount took about 20 minutes. When Jehovah God called Moses to tell the people some thing, it took usualy not more than 30 minutes. Only once every 7 years all the law in Deuteronomy was to be read. And it would take about 1 hour and 45 minutes. It's written in Deuteronomy 31:10-12 : And Moses went on to command them, saying: “At the end of every seven years, in the appointed time of the year of the release, in the festival of booths, 11 when all Israel comes to see the face of Jehovah your God in the place that he will choose, you will read this law in front of all Israel in their hearing. 12 Congregate the people, the men and the women and the little ones and your alien resident who is within your gates, in order that they may listen and in order that they may learn, as they must fear Jehovah YOUR God and take care to carry out all the words of this law.

What we really lack at the meetings, is Bible reading. In the first centry at the meetings they read more the Bible, than we do. We have only the simpliest asignment at the Theocratic school with real Bible reading. Paul comanded in Colossians 4:16: And when this letter has been read among YOU, arrange that it also be read in the congregation of the La·o·di·ce´ans and that YOU also read the one from La·o·di·ce´a.
And to Timothy he said: While I am coming, continue applying yourself to public reading...in 1Timothy 4:13.

What kind of nice extra meeting could we have once a month? In 1Corithians 11:26 we find a good idea: For as often as YOU eat this loaf and drink this cup, YOU keep proclaiming the death of the Lord, until he arrives." And the context indicates quite clearly that the Corinthians came to eat the Lord's evening meal more than once a year. Jesus also said, verse 24: "Keep doing this in remembrance of me.”

But it is very important to understand the meaning of the simbols while taking them. As written in verse 29: "For he that eats and drinks eats and drinks judgment against himself if he does not discern the body." Wich body? Body of Jesus Christ, his flesh and blood. Jesus also said in John 6:54-57: He that feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has everlasting life, and I shall resurrect him at the last day; 55 for my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56 He that feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood remains in union with me, and I in union with him. 57 Just as the living Father sent me forth and I live because of the Father, he also that feeds on me, even that one will live because of me.
Jesus said also in Matthew 26:27: “Drink out of it, all of YOU; 28 for this means my ‘blood of the covenant,’ which is to be poured out in behalf of many for forgiveness of sins.
So, all who wants to get everlasting life should drink and eat at the Lord's evening meal, because his blood have been poured in behalf of both the little flock and the other sheep. The object of Lord's evening meal is not to show who is anointed and who is not. To get to know who is anointed should be possible by testing those claiming to be anointed, according to the principle in Revelation 2:2: "that you put those to the test who say they are apostles, but they are not, and you found them liars."

Now, as I have remarked, you have got many new membres in the governing body, you can start to apply new understanding according to the principle of Jesus in Luke 5:36-39: “No one cuts a patch from a new outer garment and sews it onto an old outer garment; but if he does, then both the new patch tears away and the patch from the new garment does not match the old. 37 Moreover, no one puts new wine into old wineskins; but if he does, then the new wine will burst the wineskins, and it will be spilled out and the wineskins will be ruined. 38 But new wine must be put into new wineskins. 39 No one that has drunk old wine wants new; for he says, ‘The old is nice.’”

And by the time we have accumulated a lot of human traditions, statmants of different brothers. It has happend as with the Pharisees and scribes to whom Jesus said in Mark 7:13: "and thus YOU make the word of God invalid by YOUR tradition which YOU handed down. And many things similar to this YOU do.”

I hope you have found these Bible verses and logic arguments interesting.

So, if you have some questions to this letter contact me directly or throught the elders in Skärholmen congregation in Sweden.

Your brother

Jan Kosonen

Jan my brother;

The reason why you didn't receive any reply is that they don't read such letters. They simply return them to the body of elders in your home congregation for action, if necessary. Your WTS is no longer interested in the views of the sheep and have totally isolated themselves.

So, what are we waiting for? "Come Lord Jesus!"

This is true! However, if you are NOT one of JWs and write a letter, then they take notice, espically if you are articulate, know what you're talking about, and know how to use the internet. :thumbup:

Hi Designs, Not wanting to be argumentative about this, but I am personally miffed at being taught that the proper name of God is Jehovah, which it is not. Yes, it is commonly accepted in English, espically since the 19 Cent., before Jehovahs Witnesses, but that pronounciation is a guesstimate from a Cathloic cleric in the 15 cent, was it not?

I am not against using a proper name in my worship, but feel that it should be as spoken as close to the way Moses heard it himself.
My cursory research showed that it is most likely "Yahweh", which should be pronounced as 4 syllables, not 2. More like, Ya He Whe He, the actual sounds of the origional 4 Hebrew letters., I believe with short vowel sounds.
But in prayer, I prefer to follow Jesus example, and use "father".
Really, is there any example of using the proper name YHWH in prayer in the New Testament?