The Chairman’s address is the
first talk convention attendees hear. I
would think they would want to start the program with a bang, and fire up the
audience about what they will learn over the next three days.
I’ve tried three times to listen
to this talk, I managed to do get through it only by fast-forwarding in
places. It is insipid, uninspiring,
shallow, and illogical, dull as dishwater.
I know, that’s a cliché, but it’s difficult to explain how boring this
speech is.
According to the speaker, the
Truth is immutable, it does not change. There can be only one truth. The
speaker points out many books claim to be the inspired word of God, to be “the
Truth.” He sets out to prove the Bible
is the only book that correctly makes that claim.
Jehovah’s Witnesses have
a problem in this discussion, the innumerable times they have changed doctrine
and prophetic interpretation. They try
to explain this with the idea of “progressive interpretation,” the truth does
not change; our understanding of it does.
Scriptural support for this idea is based on Proverbs 4:18, “But the path of the righteous
ones is like the bright light that is getting lighter and lighter until the day
is firmly established.” (New
World Translation)
I have been unable to find any nonWatchtower
commentary that supports the Jehovah’s Witness interpretation of this
scripture. Witnesses believe this verse
supports the idea that God will reveal “new light,” new interpretations of
scripture as it suits Him. All other
commentators, reading the verse in context say it describes the growth of an
individual, not organizational changes.
Given the Watchtowers habit of
altering its interpretations, it needs some a scriptural fig leaf to cover its
errors.
After skating past the Watchtower
Society abysmal track record on advancing “truth that does not change” the
speaker lists several “proofs” the Bible is “the truth.” This part of the talk sounds like something
written by an earnest sixth grader.
Among these proofs are:
-
The Bible describes the earth as a sphere long
before astronauts went to space and saw this.
-
A prophecy that the city of Babylon would never
be rebuilt has proven true.
-
The Bible predicts that Satan would kill Jesus
and sure enough, he did.
This talk does not merit
more attention, and I could not bring myself to listen to more of it. I am formulating a theory about the current
state of the Watchtower. This talk
supports my ideas, which will be presented in due time.
I have been away from
this blog. I did not intend to take this
much time between posts. However, I was
working hard on a special project – editing a manuscript in preparation for
submission to a publisher. Looking at
every single work in four hundred seventy page manuscript occupied my full
attention. You’ll hear more about that
project at the appropriate time.
