Where does it say in the Bible you must have a companion book to go along with it? Such as The Watchtower, for instance. Where does it say you must use the Bible with another book? Can you go by just the Bible? As a teaching of JWs, you can't. Why?
2007-07-20 13:18:34 · 23 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
JOHN -- "Going to house to house" has nothing to do with this. Also, you don't know me. I've been witnessing around neighborhoods and my school before. How active are YOU?
2007-07-20 13:29:31 · update #1
The premise of this so-called "question" is entirely false.
The Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses views the bible as the only inspired infallible means of knowing God's will and purposes. They view modern bible-based publications as mere tools, and certainly do not pretend that the bible cannot be used without such tools.
A hundred years ago, the publications of Jehovah's Witnesses very occasionally implied that such publication tools were nearly indispensable. While Jehovah's Witnesses continue to value their bible study aids, for decades now they have fully recognized that those century-old assertions were wrong. Yet even those early Jehovah's Witnesses never implied that their writings were infallible or inspired, or a replacement for the bible.
Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20010701/article_02.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/rq/index.htm?article=article_14.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/pr/index.htm?article=article_04.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/dg/index.htm?article=article_11.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/lmn/index.htm?article=article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/ti/index.htm?article=article_09.htm
2007-07-24 01:05:31 · answer #1 · answered by achtung_heiss 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Where does it say in the Bible you must have a companion book to go along with it?
Where does it say you can't? The jews used companion books...
. [Is] not this written in the book of Jasher? - Jos 10:13, 2Sa 1:18.
Can you go by just the Bible?
Absolutely.
Where does it say you must use the Bible with another book?
It does not. Although you find just about every Christian group with a bible stories book. Why? Because it illustrates what is in the scriptures as does JWs publications.
2007-07-23 01:32:45 · answer #2 · answered by keiichi 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You are correct that No where does the Bible command we use another book with the Bible. However your query itself is inaccurate. We do not teach you must use the Watchtower. It is there as a help. Think of the many creations of God. Trees alone are wonderous and often complicated. I don't think I have ever seen someone complain about people making companion guides to understanding trees. How much more special is it when someone tries to help others understand the word of God.
2007-07-23 11:15:57 · answer #3 · answered by Ish Var Lan Salinger 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
WHY should you believe either the Holy Bible or the Watchtower? If something cannot be consistently observed or independently verified, why believe it at all? The Bible is full of contradictions and inaccuracies. If a cookbook had as many goofs, you'd probably throw it in the trash!
Religion is all about "faith" - which most of the time amounts to large numbers of "believers" accepting a contrived "meme" as fact. That doesn't make it real, just a mass delusion.
2007-07-28 18:46:33 · answer #4 · answered by 222 Sexy 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
1) It doesn't. And its Not a book.
A study aid; that does not contradict the Holy Words of God....
The purpose of the Watchtower is to exalt Jehovah God as Sovereign Lord of the universe. It keeps watch on world events as these fulfill Bible prophecy. It comforts all peoples with the good news that God's Kingdom will soon destroy those who oppress their fellow men and that it will turn the earth into a paradise. It encourages faith in God's now-reigning King, Jesus Christ, whose shed blood opens the way for mankind to gain eternal life. The Watchtower, published by Jehovah's Witnesses continuously since 1879, is nonpolitical.
-------------It adheres to the Bible as its authority.------------------
2) Again, it doesn't and its Not a book.
3) We do use the Bible, as it is the Authority.
The Watchtower is a magazine, Not a book.
It's not a companion book. Its a study aid.
For those that are new to Christianity, (as a whole)
it Really does "help" to gain a better understanding.
For those who are not new, it helps remind us, we are human & imperfect.
We do forget things.
4)Yes, we can & do.
As u put the q; "you can't. Why?"---- we wouldn't want to,
We'd rather gain a deeper understanding of the Bible.
Of Jehovah God, His Son, His purposes for mankind & the earth.
2007-07-21 16:43:05 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 1⤋
Jehovah's Witnesses do not hold their literature as "sacred texts". Rather, they are simply materials used to study the Bible. These magazines are utterly full of scriptures from the Bible and they use the Bible as the soul basis for what is taught in the magazines. Several religions use tracts, pamphlets, and other materials as teaching tools. Likewise to when a preacher speaks to people, he doesn't merely read the Bible. He explains the BIble in a way the hearers can understand. That is no different from religious publications. One is written and one is spoken. As long as the publications are not held as more important or as important as the Bible, what problem is there? Jehovah's Witnesses read their Bible daily. They have a rich Bible study program that is unmatched by any other professed Christian religion. -Matthew 24:45
It's interesting that you single out Jehovah's Witnesses. Is it because they obey Jesus command to preach from house to house?
"Go therefore and make disciples of people...teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you" -Matthew 28:19, 20
"And every day in the temple and from house to house they continued without letup teaching and declaring the good news about the Christ, Jesus." -Acts 5:42
How active are you in doing this?
All of Jehovah's Witnesses preach God kingdom to mankind.
2007-07-20 20:27:13 · answer #6 · answered by johnusmaximus1 6 · 6⤊ 2⤋
Excuse me.Jehovah's Witnesses have NEVER claimed that a 'companion' book MUST accompany the Bible.
Because we are so spiritually blessed with an abundance of spiritual food.It is only to our advantage to use other publications as study aides.
I wish people like yourself would get their facts straight before they go and make ridiculous accusations. thank you
2007-07-23 12:59:50 · answer #7 · answered by lillie 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
it's not true that we must use another book to go along with the bible. many times,( depending on the person or what they want to share with people while in the ministry,) they use ONLY the bible.
we like to use bible study aides to help us in efforts to teach about the bible. they are in no way a replacement for the scriptures.
Have you ever read any of our literature? if you have, you would see that these do not try to replace, diminish, or detract from what the bible has to say.
2007-07-20 20:30:11 · answer #8 · answered by sugarpie 4 · 5⤊ 2⤋
It seems your JW answers have sidestepped your question by dismissing any other interpretations as "doctrines of men" but the Watchtower is somehow an exception.
My own "companion book" would have to be the Institutes of the Christian Religion by John Calvin, as well as other Reformed/Presbyterian creeds, confessions, and other writings. I accept these doctrines as a correct interpretation of the Bible, yes, written by Man, but I agree with it. Jehovah's Witnesses have their own "doctrine" which they see so much in alignment with Scripture that they cannot tell the difference. And I think that is where they are flawed in their thinking.
2007-07-24 11:11:28 · answer #9 · answered by ccrider 7 · 0⤊ 4⤋
Ok I will give you and example where in the bible says the date of Jesus ´death and resurrection also his date of birth?
All that information is in the bible but is in different parts of the bible, you don´t know where to find that but we have studies materials that organized that information and we just need to look an id 5 minutes we can find the information more easy that looking alone, that material are prepaed to help us read the bible in order by topic and by books, we read in both form.
2007-07-20 20:30:03 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 2⤋