Funny Story: Sometimes a footnote becomes a 6 page article
Years ago, a doctor jokingly told me that I had a Type AA personality. Though we laughed, I saw some advice there. Since then, I really have tried to be ok with lowering the bar in some areas; but some things you just can’t cut corners on! They’re too important. That’s why sometimes a footnote becomes a six page article!
So here’s the story: There I was, polishing up Part Three of my upcoming blog series on the deity of Christ. All it needed was a footnote section. The footnotes all correspond to a parenthetical section in my post that mentions some teachings from the Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society. One of the teachings is their claim that the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses contains the sole channel of communication between God and man. I didn’t want to just mention this teaching without a footnoted reference, so I began a little research to get a good quote about it from the Society’s published material. I had learned about this teaching years ago, so I knew I could find what I needed there. As I gathered some quotes, it occurred to me that it might be helpful if I expanded on the topic. So a one line footnote reference quickly became an eight point list!
As I worked on the list, I had more time to reflect on the significance of the material. I realized it could and probably should stand alone as its own article. So, I took the eight point list, added an introduction and a closing. The plan was to post it with my Apologetics standing pages and hyperlink to it from Part Three of my series. Well then, “a bit” more research and rewriting followed; and I ended up with six pages!
Jehovah’s Sole Channel of Communication: a Controlling “Slave”
So now the article is done. And instead of only hyperlinking to it from the footnote section of Part Three of my series, I decided to also share it with you now. It is The Mind Controlling Slave in “Jehovah’s Organization”.
The article takes a close look at the Watch Tower Society’s teaching that there is a slave in “Jehovah’s organization” who is the sole channel of communication between God and man and how this teaching gives them control over their members. In formulating this teaching, they build from the “slave” of Matthew 24:45.
“Who then is the faithful and sensible slave whom his master put in charge of his household to give them their food at the proper time?” (Matthew 24:45)
Through the errant practice of eisegesis (reading meaning into a text instead of digging out the real meaning that is there), the Society imposes certain Jehovah’s Witnesses into the story of “the faithful and sensible slave”. They teach that these Witnesses are the “slave” of Matthew 24:45. It is also taught that only through the “slave” (who is the sole channel of communication between God and man) can one get true spiritual food. It is also taught that the channel must be responded to as to the voice of God and be associated with for everlasting life. The channel extends an incredible amount of control over Witnesses. Truly, it acts more like a master than a slave.
My article also covers how the identity of this all important “slave” (channel) has changed over the decades. This is just one of the many changed and contradicting teachings from the Society. There have been many false prophesies too. Clearly, this channel of communication between God and man has serious trouble processing the messages.
Since the teaching of the slave/channel helps to set up the authority that the leaders of Jehovah’s Witnesses have over their members, it is crucial to understand this teaching and keep it in mind when we encounter Witnesses. If you are meeting with or ministering to Witnesses or have friends or family members in the organization, please read the article. There are a lot more details about the extent of the control of the slave/channel. I hope that the information in the article helps you to be better prepared to witness to Witnesses if you have opportunity to share the hope that is in you. (1 Peter 3:15) It has long saddened me to think about the unnecessary bondage that Jehovah’s Witnesses are in. Please join me in praying for them to come out and be set free through faith in Jesus Christ. Salvation is in Him alone. (John 3:16, John 11:25, John 14:6, Acts 4:12)
Here is the link again: The Mind Controlling Slave in “Jehovah’s Organization”
Other Writing News
As I mentioned above, I am polishing up my series on the deity of Christ. I am pre-writing the whole study to hopefully prevent interruptions in posting. There are a couple of posts about living the life of an apologist coming first that serve as a kind of prequel, and then we will get to it! Lord willing, things will begin to roll out in the coming weeks. Please pray that my health holds out, so I can finish soon!
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Ministering in the spirit of Titus 2:3-5 and encouraging women to contend for the faith.
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