Advertisement
When I was about 11, and brand spanking new to the whole going door to door thing, I read someone a scripture, and was told something that baffles me to this day. The elder that I went to the door with took me aside directly afterwords and said, "We don't use that scripture."
Never heard a witness say that before or since.
Jeremiah 10:3-4 states: "For the customs of the peoples are just an exhaultation, because for it is a mere tree out of the forest that one has cut down, the work of the hands of the craftsman with the billhook. With silver and with gold one makes it pretty. With Nails and hammers they fasten them down, that none may reel."
Couldn't one claim this is talking about a christmas tree? So why "don't we use this scripture?"
I think it could also mean decorative wooden sculptures, I am not sure what a billhook is I will have to look that up right after I get off of here. Has anyone else every heard that before? I think I am the only one..... never heard anyone say that about any other scripture.
Never heard a witness say that before or since.
Jeremiah 10:3-4 states: "For the customs of the peoples are just an exhaultation, because for it is a mere tree out of the forest that one has cut down, the work of the hands of the craftsman with the billhook. With silver and with gold one makes it pretty. With Nails and hammers they fasten them down, that none may reel."
Couldn't one claim this is talking about a christmas tree? So why "don't we use this scripture?"
I think it could also mean decorative wooden sculptures, I am not sure what a billhook is I will have to look that up right after I get off of here. Has anyone else every heard that before? I think I am the only one..... never heard anyone say that about any other scripture.
Advertisement
Advertisement
-
Re: I just remembered this
Thu, December 4, 2008 - 6:42 PMOk, a billhook is somewhat a mix between an axe and a knife, it was used to cut down small trees and brush. The term "None may reel," to me would mean that the tree/shrub was nailed down like in a stand so that it would not move around or fall over.
I got this from the new world translation. The only bible I have left, and the very bible that I read the man at the door that scripture from when I was 11.
I am curious as to what any other version states, if anyone has another version of the bible, and is bored enough/curious enough, and has enough time to look it up and to type it out for us.
Again, that's from Jeremiah 10:3-4.
Wouldn't this scripture help prove one of their antichristmas doctorines? So why don't they use it?
I was just talking about christmas, and how it is a pagan celebration of several sun gods etc. and somehow thought of that scripture. I suppose I was brainwashed enough to remember scriptures after all these years. lol (Even the one and only one I was ever told that and I quote, "we don't use." and by an Elder no less." -
-
Re: I just remembered this
Mon, December 29, 2008 - 1:27 AM"I got this from the new world translation. The only bible I have left, and the very bible that I read the man at the door that scripture from when I was 11."
Theology is kind of a hobby for me, I've never formally studied it in college, but have from time to time made my own discoveries and conclusions, if you're interested in an online source for bibles I have bookmarked a site that's got 17 different English bibles and several other languages are available. NWT is not one of those 17, but I have the WTBTS site bookmarked too, lol. Anyway, if you want the site it's bibleresources.bible.com/bible_read.php
-
-
Re: I just remembered this
Tue, December 9, 2008 - 1:16 PMI have been away for years so my memory is shady but I don't remember what ones said about that scripture. I checked my New World Translation of the Holy Scriptures version and it is the same as what you wrote out. It certainly does sound like a festive tree like at Christmas time.
-
Re: I just remembered this
Thu, December 11, 2008 - 9:24 PMthis is just a guess at what the elder might have meant, but a lot of "apostates" use that scripture to cast light on the fact that many of the org's doctrines are extremely liberal interpretations of scripture, and could easily be categorized as "the customs of the peoples".
-
Re: I just remembered this
Mon, December 29, 2008 - 1:20 AMokay, I looked it up in the KJV bible: "3For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the axe. 4They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not." Yes, these scriptures used by themselves could have been used to debunk the Christmas tree idea, but in context with the surrounding scriptures they're describing not learning the ways of the heathen (KJV's words, not mine). I don't know why the elder would have told you not to use it, my best guess would be that if the person did go inside and look it up they might take offense to being called a heathen.
-
Re: I just remembered this
Mon, February 2, 2009 - 9:22 AMI was an a elder for five years, 2000 - 2005. I am no longer in the ORG.
I read every letter from the Governing body to congregation Elders at some time during that five years.
I attended several Kingdom Ministry School's. (Training for Elders & Ministerial Servants.)
When I left the org in Dec 2005 - I was my Congregation's Service Overseer
I never read or heard anything about not using any verse in the bible for teaching or in the ministry.
My $.02 -
-
Re: I just remembered this
Mon, February 16, 2009 - 5:30 PMThat was the only time I was told that, and thus it stuck with me for over 14 years. -
-
Re: I just remembered this
Wed, February 18, 2009 - 10:43 AMSound like some moron couldn't connect the dots so he made a rule.
Very common in the org. I spent more time as an elder correcting other elders and undoing their misplaced words than anything else.
FWIW...
Be well,
Thomas
-
-
