Deliverance from the traps of the Birdcatcher

This week's Wachtower Study is absurd when it comes to promoting themselves.

Paragraph 1. All true Christians face a predator, one with superhuman intelligence and craftiness. He is referred to at Psalm 91:3 as "the birdcatcher." Who is this enemy? Since the issue of June 1, 1883, this magazine has identified him as none other than Satan the Devil. This formidable foe cunningly endeavors to mislead and trap Jehovah's people as a birdcatcher tries to trap a bird.

Does it require great insight to identify the subject in question as the Enemy? Hey, they have really taken a stand and stuck to their guns on this one!

I wish they used this level of expertise when it came to identifying Abaddon/Apollyon from Revelation 9:11

The Finished Mystery pg 159 [And] they [had a] HAVE THEIR king [over them]. — The same king as exercises general rulership over all the ecclesiastical affairs of this present evil world.[Which is] the angel of the [bottomless pit] ABYSS. — "The prince of the power of the air." — Eph. 2:2. Whose name in the Hebrew tongue is Abaddon. — And he is "a bad one," sure enough. — 2 Cor. 4:4. But in the Greek tongue hath his name Apollyon. — That is, Destroyer. But in plain English his name is Satan, the Devil.

The Watchtower Dec 1, 1961 When Jesus was on earth as a man, he was a Hebrew, and now in his capacity as Jehovah's royal Executioner he is called by the Hebrew name Abad'don, which means Destruction. (Job 26:6; 28:22; 31:12; 12:23; 14:19) In the Greek in which the inspired Christian Scriptures were written his similar title is Apollyon, which means Destroyer.

Did they apply their spiritual insight when it came to the resurrection of those from Sodom and Gomorrah? They're still flaky on that one.

The Watchtower April 1, 1955 The destruction upon Sodom and Gomorrah must be final, or Jude would not have used it to illustrate the fate of those defilers for whom “the blackness of darkness stands reserved forever”. (Jude 13, NW) Jude 7 shows that those ancient cities had their judgment day back there at the time of their destruction, since they are spoken of as having already undergone an execution of judgment, “the judicial punishment of everlasting fire.”

The Watchtower Jan 1, 1965 Read the account in Matthew 11:20-24, and you will see what Jesus said about consequences. There he said that in the resurrection it will be much better for the people of Tyre, Sidon and Sodom, to whom Jesus never preached, than for those persons to whom Jesus did preach in Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum. It was in these cities that Jesus did many of his powerful works, but they did not repent and follow him. Now, when the resurrection takes place for all these people. They do not want to be like the people of Chorazin, Bethsaida and Capernaum, whose reforming after their resurrection will be more difficult than that of those coming back from Sodom and Gomorrah.

The Watchtower July 1, 1967 This the Bible describes as the “second death.” (Rev. 20:14) It means the death from which there is no resurrection. They will be burned up root and branch, as completely gone forever as the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Awake Oct 8, 1974 God’s dealing with Sodom and Gomorrah shows that he takes no pleasure in the death of anyone, but wants all to live, if they will just live respectfully toward their fellowman and in obedience to righteous principles. (Ezek. 33:11; Mic. 6:8) Moreover, God’s undeserved kindness and care are so great that he will bring back the people of Sodom by a resurrection, with opportunity to learn and turn around to the way of life, even as his Son stated.—Luke 10:11

Revelation, Its Grand Climax at Hand Jesus Christ also knew what he thought and stated it in explicit terms. He said that it would be “more endurable for the land of Sodom on Judgment Day” than for the religionists who spurned his message. (Matthew 11:23, 24) Jesus was here using hyperbole to show that those religious leaders who rejected the Son of God and his teaching were even more reprehensible than the Sodomites. Jude 7 states that those Sodomites underwent “the judicial punishment of everlasting fire,” meaning eternal destruction. (Matthew 25:41, 46)

Now, on to the Watchtower being on top of things and ahead of their time.

Paragraph 11. Nearly a quarter of a century ago, The Watchtower lovingly warned the household of faith about TV serials.* ([Footnote] * The Watchtower, December 1, 1982, pages 3-7.) This observation was made about the subtle impact of popular soap operas: "The search for love is used to justify any conduct. For instance, one unwed pregnant youth says to a friend: `But I love Victor. I don't care.... To have his baby is worth everything to me!' The soft background music makes it hard to consider her course to be so bad. You too like Victor. You feel sympathy for the girl. You 'understand.' 'It is amazing how you can rationalize,' stated one viewer who later came to her senses. 'We know that immorality is bad.... But I realized that mentally I was taking part.' "

Paragraph 12. Since those articles were published, this type of heart-corrupting programming has become increasingly available. In many places, such programs are broadcast 24 hours a day. Men, women, and many teenagers frequently feed their minds and hearts on such entertainment. We, though, must not deceive ourselves with false reasoning. It would be wrong to reason that depraved entertainment is no worse than what is seen in the real world. Can a Christian really justify choosing to be entertained by the sort of people he would never dream of inviting into his home?

Paragraph 13. Many benefited when they took to heart that warning provided by "the faithful and discreet slave." (Matthew 24:45-47) After reading the straightforward, Bible-based counsel, some wrote to tell how the articles had personally affected them.* ([Footnote] * The Watchtower, December 1, 1983, page 23) One confessed: "For 13 years I was a soap-opera addict. I thought that I was safe simply by attending Christian meetings and being semiregular in the field service. But I adopted the worldly soap-opera attitude that if your husband mistreats you or you feel unloved, adultery is justifiable–he brought it on himself. And so when I felt 'justified' I took this bad course and sinned against Jehovah and my mate." This woman was disfellowshipped. Eventually, she carne to her senses, repented, and was reinstated. The articles warning against TV soap operas gave her the strength to refuse to be entertained by what Jehovah hates.-Amos 5:14, 15.

Are JW's getting hooked on All My Children, As the World Turns, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of our Lives, General Hospital, Guiding Light, One Life to Live, Passions, or The Young and the Restless? Perhaps the "it" shows are Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Falcon Crest, Knots Landing, Lost, or Ugly Betty.

Why don't they boast about their other "lovingly warn[ings]"? For example, vaccinations.

The Golden Age Jan 5, 1929 "Thinking people would rather have smallpox than vaccination, because the latter sows seeds of syphilis, cancers, eczema, erysipelas, scrofula, consumption, even leprosy and many other loathsome affections. Hence the practice of vaccinations is a crime, an outrage, and a delusion"

The Golden Age Jan 4, 1931 "Vaccination is a direct violation of the everlasting covenant that God made with Noah after the flood."

How loving of them.