Friday, August 17, 2012

Missing Meetings at the Kingdom Hall

Very often the Watchtower Society along with convinced supportive Elders, Ministerial Servants, Pioneers, and even the ‘average’ publisher cites Hebrews 10:24, 25 for reason as to why members of the organization need to be at the Watchtower Society’s weekly arranged meetings. Quoting from that scripture – direct from The New World Translation – it states:

"And let us consider one another to incite to love and fine works, not forsaking the gathering of ourselves together, as some have the custom, but encouraging one another, and all the more so as YOU behold the day drawing near."


The verses are extremely familiar to many Jehovah’s Witnesses. What may not be as familiar is the actual meaning and intent.

If one was to do the research, including understanding the context of the verses, it has nothing to do with formal meetings of worship.

What the verses are relaying is Paul’s encouragement to Jewish Christians who were still very zealous for and still felt the need to follow the Old Covenant. They consequently were withdrawing socially from other Christians who came to the realization that they were not under such Law. Paul is simply admonishing adherers of the Old Covenant not to avoid such social gatherings because doing so would result in “forsaking the gathering of ourselves together”.

Conclusively then, the verses are absolutely void of any proof text to support attending and being a part of the Watchtower Society's formal organized sessions of instruction and indoctrination, including their weekly meetings, along with conventions and assemblies of Jehovah's Witnesses.

If anything, the verses are indirectly suggesting something Jehovah’s Witnesses are taught through the Watchtower to be strongly against and avoid; that is to fellowship with Christians who do not believe the same as they do.