Accuracy

JW Broadcasting Nov 2017

Contents 1. Introduction ........................................................................... 1

2. Accuracy of statement ........................................................... 2

2.1 Why be fussy over accuracy ............................................ 4

3. Quiz: You Be the Editor ......................................................... 7

4. Researchers at Bethel ......................................................... 14

5. Dramatization – Our view of Celebrations ........................... 18

6. Abilio and Ulla Amorim from Portugal .................................. 21

7. 3 fleshly sisters from Mongolia ............................................ 25

8. Planning a Wedding ............................................................ 27

8.1 Wedding industry stress ................................................ 28

8.2 Christian Wedding ......................................................... 29

9. Reasoning on Matters ......................................................... 32

10. Music Video – Inspired by Your Wonders.......................... 38

11. Summary ........................................................................... 40

12. Cuzco, Peru - RTO ............................................................ 40

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1. Introduction

Greetings! We’re so happy you could join us for this broadcast. And I’m very happy because my cohost this month is a good friend of mine and a fellow worker, Brother Jim Mantz. Now, Jim and I work together in the Writing Department, and Jim helps the Writing Department —Jim and his team. They help the Writing Department to keep track of all the projects that we have to work on. And do you have any idea how many that is? Two hundred and forty-one at any given time. And Jim does a lot of other things as well. Well, Jim, we’ve got another project on hand this month, and that’s to get this broadcast under way. So why don’t you tell the folks at home just what they have to look forward to? Well, David, this month we’ll get acquainted with a family that raised their children to put Jehovah first in their lives. Let’s look for points we can apply in our families. Later, our music video will emphasize the need to take the time to marvel at Jehovah’s creation. And we’ll visit the Writing Research Department. The brothers and sisters there help us to ensure that all our articles and videos are accurate.

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You’re going to enjoy this program, and this is the November 2017 program of JW Broadcasting! Host: David Splane –Governing Body

2. Accuracy of statement

This month I’d like to talk about the efforts Jehovah’s organization is making to produce literature, publications, articles that are as accurate as possible. We’re going to talk about accuracy — accuracy of statement. Now, first, what’s the responsibility of the writer of the article? When a writer submits an article for publication, he is expected to supply references from reputable sources to back up the facts that he’s included in his article. And our Research Department will use those references to check the accuracy of everything. Reliable, respected sources. What do we mean by a reliable source? Well, first of all, we go with encyclopedias, books, magazines, and then newspapers —basically in that order. We prefer encyclopedias over books, books over magazines, and magazines over newspapers —generally because newspaper editors have a hard time checking their facts. They have a very limited time in which to check their facts. Even encyclopedias and books get updated, so we have to go with the latest edition of those.

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We have to make sure that our sources are reliable. Now, when a writer quotes an expert, our researchers will ask: “Who’s this expert? “What’s his reputation? “Is he working for a particular organization? “Does this organization have an agenda? Is it a special-interest group?” If we find that the goals of the organization are questionable, we won’t use the quote —even if it’s a really good quote. Now, suppose that a writer wants to quote something from a book. In the reference material, he’ll supply a photocopy of the quote in the book, but very often he’ll give us two or three pages before the quote and two or three pages after as well. And that way, our researchers can examine the quote in context to make sure that what we’re saying in print is really what the author of the quote had in mind. For example, an evolutionist might make a statement which on the surface appears to confirm his support of creation. Or perhaps an atheist will make a statement that seems to indicate that he believes in God. But when you examine the quote in context, you realize that that isn’t what the author had in mind at all. We would never deliberately distort a quotation. We try very hard to use all of our quotations in context. Now, it’s important to keep up with the very latest research. Something that was stated years ago as a fact may have been disproved.

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And the reason why is obvious. Someone may spend his entire life researching a very limited point in history —a very small point in history— and, of course, if he spends so much time researching, he’s going to uncover things. And so it’s not surprising that from time to time we have to adjust our view of some historical points. We have to check, check, check. And later on in this discussion, we’re going to consider some examples of it. It’ll be fun; you’ll love it! Now, someone might ask, ‘Why is it necessary to be so picky, to be so fussy, about accuracy?’

2.1 Why be fussy over accuracy

And in answer, I’d like to give an experience that I heard about a few years ago. In Northern Europe, there was a man who accepted a Bible study from Jehovah’s Witnesses. And when he was asked what motivated him to want to study, he said: “I read an article in your Awake! magazine on trees. “Now, I happen to be a bit of an expert on trees. “And after I read the article, I said to myself: “‘That article was so well-documented. “‘It was so precise. “‘Any organization that is that careful when writing about trees is going to be just as careful when teaching me the Bible.’ ”

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And on that basis, he accepted a Bible study. Now, an area where great care needs to be taken is when we’re quoting statistics. A newspaper may report on a disaster in a certain country and say that 10,000 people were killed in the disaster. Immediately, our researchers are going to ask, “Where did they get that statistic?” They might phone the newspaper and ask for the source. And if the reporter can’t confirm the statistic, our researchers will go to another source —a more official source— to get the correct statistic. Care is also taken when quoting personalities of the past. Now, suppose we want to quote something that Napoleon Bonaparte said —the French general. Well, being French, Napoleon spoke French. So if we’re quoting it in English, that means that somebody translated the quote from French into English. But did they translate the quote correctly? Our researchers will probably go to the target language and research the quote in French or in another language. And more often than not, they find that what is presented in English doesn’t accurately represent what the individual said at all. Now, as we age, our memory can play tricks on us.

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And our researchers are aware of that. Suppose that an elderly brother writes in his life story that he was baptized at a circuit assembly on a certain date. Our researchers may look at the date. They may check the date, and suppose they find that the date the brother gave fell on a Tuesday. Now, what are the chances that there was a circuit assembly on a Tuesday? There may have been, but they’re going to check. Is the brother’s memory failing him? If they can’t confirm the date, they may ask someone to help the brother to remember the date more correctly, more accurately. Perhaps someone was baptized at the same circuit assembly as he was, and perhaps that person has an accurate note of the date. Our translators also go to great lengths to present accurate information to the brothers and sisters. Some time ago, the Awake! magazine published an article on a very rare species of butterfly. Now, with all animals and insects, we provide our translators with the Latin name of the animal or the insect. And so our translators had the Latin name.

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But in one large country, they were unable to find the name in the vernacular. So, what did they do? They phoned the country’s leading university, and they were transferred to the Biology Department, and there an expert gave them the name in the vernacular of that particular butterfly. But then he said: “Why is it that you’re worrying so much “about the correct name of this butterfly? “If you got it wrong, there are only two of us in the whole country who would’ve known the difference.” Well, that opened the way to give a witness to this expert. Well, now, how well would you do in spotting a statement that is slightly off and making it more accurate? Would you like to find out? Of course you would! It’ll be fun.

3. Quiz: You Be the Editor

So let’s take a quiz that I’ll call You Be the Editor. We’re going to put a number of statements on the screen, and there’s a problem with each one of them. Now your job is to figure out what’s wrong, why it is wrong, and then suggest how to fix it. It’s going to be fun. Here’s the first statement: “According to the Smithsonian Knowledge Encyclopedia, “the Egyptian Sphinx was

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constructed around 2550 B.C.E.” “The Egyptian Sphinx was constructed around 2550 B.C.E.” Well, the problem is with the date 2550 B.C.E. The global Flood occurred about 200 years after that date. So, what are the chances that the Sphinx survived the Flood? Unless, of course, you think that’s how the Sphinx lost his nose. Now, these dates are good for you school children to keep in mind when you’re writing reports. Sometimes you copy something from an encyclopedia, and it gives a certain date. But think about the date of the Flood, 2370 B.C.E., so that what you put in your report is as accurate as possible. Now let’s go on to the next one: “In 29 C.E., “Jesus was baptized by a close relative, John the Baptizer.” Well, 29 C.E., that looks right. And we know that Jesus was baptized by John; that’s right. So the problem must be “close relative,” and it is. Now, both of Jesus’ parents were of the tribe of Judah, and their parents were of the tribe of Judah. But, what about John’s parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth? They were both of the tribe of Levi. So Elizabeth and Mary couldn’t have been sisters.

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Could they have been cousins? Maybe. We can’t even confirm that. And if they were, that would make Jesus and John second cousins. Well, is a second cousin a “close relative”? Some would say yes; some would say no. So it’s safer just to say, “In 29 C.E., Jesus was baptized by a relative, John the Baptizer.” Here’s one. Let’s see if you can spot the error in this one: “While most of the early Christians “were held in little esteem in the community, “a few enjoyed an elevated social status. For example, Luke was a respected physician.” Well, the word we need to look at is “respected.” We respect our doctors today, and our doctors have a very, very fine education. But was that the case in the first century? A reference work says this about first-century physicians: “Many doctors were freed Greek slaves, “hence the social standing of doctors was quite low. “Because recovery rates were so low, many people were skeptical or even scornful of doctors.” Note this statement from the first century: “Until recently, Diaulus was a doctor; “now he is an undertaker. “He is still doing as an undertaker, what he used to do as a doctor.” Not very flattering, is it?

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Well, in this case, we’d probably have to use a different example. Here’s one: “In 325 C.E., “the Roman Emperor Constantine “established Christianity “as the official religion of the Roman Empire.” Well, 325 C.E., that looks right. And Constantine, that looks right. But look at the word “official” —“official religion.” Constantine never established Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire. In 313 B.C.E., he did make it legal to be a Christian, but paganism was still one of the official religions. Apostate Christianity didn’t become the official religion until 391 C.E. This one is tricky. See how you do with this one: “Imagine the apostle Paul “during his first imprisonment in Rome, “writing his letter to the Colossians from a dark prison cell.” Well, if you look in the back of the New World Translation, you’ll find that Paul did write his letter to the Colossians while in Rome, and he was imprisoned at the time. So, what’s the problem? “Dark prison cell.” Where was Paul during his first imprisonment? In his own rented house.

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So the statement “dark prison cell,” it’s very dramatic, but it’s all wrong. Here’s an old one: “While Paul generally preached “to people of the nations, “Peter was sent to the Jews. “Contrary to popular belief, Peter was never in Rome.” Some scholars used to make that statement, and they made it 60 years ago: “Peter was never in Rome.” But can we really say that? Can we be that dogmatic? Can we say that he didn’t even spend vacation time or have a short visit in Rome? No, we cannot. So it would be more accurate to state: “There is no record that Peter ever lived in Rome.” Here’s one: “We can have confidence in the Bible —it is mankind’s oldest book.” “Mankind’s oldest book.” Years ago, some scholars believed that texts written by Adam, Noah, and others survived the Flood and became part of the Bible. And if that were true, then we could say that the Bible is mankind’s oldest book. Now, here’s a quote from Insight on the Scriptures, our Bible encyclopedia. It says: “There is no way to establish definitely “that some of the histories mentioned in the book of Genesis were committed to writing before the Flood.”

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So, today we might call the Bible one of mankind’s oldest books or the world’s oldest modern book, as we do in one of our videos. Here’s the last one: “In 1517, “Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses on the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany.” Well, we’ve highlighted “95,” but there are questions about the entire statement. Some modern scholars have done a tremendous, exhaustive study of the life of Martin Luther, and they claim that he couldn’t have compiled all 95 of his theses by 1517. Others go so far as to claim that it never happened —that he never did nail his theses on the door of the church. Still others are just as adamant that it’s all true —that it all happened. So there’s no consensus. We would have to modify the statement —“some believe” or “it is believed”— in order to make it more accurate and to acknowledge the fact that there are differences of opinion. Well, how did you do on the quiz? If you’re like me, you’ve probably made some of those statements yourself at times. The statements were based on the best research we had at the time. But this is to illustrate the fact that times change; research facilities improve.

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A scholar does exhaustive research on one point of history, and he uncovers things that were previously unknown. So we have to keep up. We have to check, check, check. And when credible research reveals that we have to adjust or tweak a statement that we made in the past, we do so without hesitation. Our goal is to provide information that is as accurate as possible because we know that you brothers and sisters use this information. You quote it in the field ministry. You use it in your public talks. So we want to make sure that our brothers are fed with the most accurate spiritual food possible. We’re imperfect, of course, and we are going to make mistakes. And when we do, we have to correct them. Our goal is to do the best we can in all our imperfection. Well, how does it make you feel? I know how it makes me feel. I’m grateful that Jehovah’s organization takes accuracy so seriously. It gives me confidence.

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And, you know, I’m reminded of the description of another researcher, as recorded at Ecclesiastes 12:9, 10. You know who this is. Ecclesiastes 12:9, 10: “Not only had the congregator become wise “but he continually taught the people what he knew, “and he pondered “and made a thorough search “in order to compile many proverbs. “The congregator sought to find delightful words and to record accurate words of truth.”

4. Researchers at Bethel

James Mantz – Helper to the Writing Committee

Now, let’s give our attention to my good friend Jim. And I think Jim is ready to take us on a field trip so we can meet some of the researchers at Bethel. Thank you, David. And, yes, our researchers take very seriously their task of maintaining a high standard of accuracy. In today’s media, much of what’s presented as fact is often colored by emotion and personal opinion. Jehovah’s Witnesses, however, remain committed to defending God’s Word, the Bible, as the standard for truth. As Jesus said at John 17:17: “Your word is truth.” The wide-ranging subject matter contained in the publications of Jehovah’s Witnesses is painstakingly researched by their Writing Research Department.

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Their research methods are modeled after that of Bible historians such as Luke and Jeremiah —reliance on reputable first-hand sources. We’re not looking just for someone’s opinions or what someone believes about a topic. If the material is socially or politically biased, for example, we can’t rely on it. We look for objective material. We cover everything from historical, scientific, geographical to flora, fauna, space. So before the script is even written, we’ll provide a research package, and we’ll follow the project until final delivery to make sure that everything that is said and everything that is shown is solidly based on fact and is well-researched. There’s a lot more research than what the viewer or the reader will ever see. You have a one-page article on the otter; you end up with like 12 references to back up every statement that’s made. It seems very simple, the height of Mont Blanc. And with the height of Mont Blanc, we found out, number one, that it was 4,807 meters; then we found another source —4,810 meters; let’s check a third one —4,808 meters. So, what is now real? In that case, we had to consult the French National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information. One of our main research tools is our own library system.

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We have about 65,000 books and other research materials. If we’re researching something about ancient history or archaeology, we may consult a specialized encyclopedia, like an encyclopedia of archaeological discoveries, for example. Museum websites usually have pictures of what they have in the museum. And we can find these visuals and then send those off to production teams as well and say, “This is a good example of a first-century lamp.” Things that you think are true because they are “commonly known” may not actually be totally accurate. Quotes need to be verified. We want to go to the first-hand source, the original source, for that quote. That’s one thing. And secondly, context matters; we want to quote things properly. When Gandhi and Lord Irwin came together, Gandhi said, ‘When your country and mine come together ‘on the teachings of Christ and on the Sermon on the Mount, then we will have solved the problems of our countries and the world.’ So we researched it. No one could confirm that those two men ever met. So it’s a great quote.

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Now, it doesn’t mean that he didn’t refer to Jesus or even the Sermon on the Mount, but that particular one, we couldn’t use. So the research work we’re doing, sometimes it takes a lot of time, a lot of effort. Sometimes we don’t find what we are expecting to find. But it’s very gratifying because we’re helping produce accurate information that our readers can rely on. Reliable information will help us make good informed decisions. Anyone who reads our journals and who sees our videos can be confident that this was thoroughly researched. These are facts; this is the truth. So when you consider the printed publications of Jehovah’s Witnesses or peruse the jw.org website, you can be confident that the material is carefully researched and accurate. Why? Because Jehovah’s Witnesses are a people who love and respect the truth. As Psalm 31:5 expresses, we worship “Jehovah, the God of truth.” So it would only make sense that we try to imitate him to the best of our ability by being truthful in all the materials that we publish. He, no doubt, finds this very pleasing, especially since throughout history, many have tried to twist his teachings. Although the organization makes efforts to publish accurate information, there are many things that we can do as individuals.

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5. Dramatization – Our view of Celebrations

This dramatization highlights how our view of celebrations can be pleasing to Jehovah. Hey, Buddy! How was school? That’s my Dad, Grayson, and my older brother, Dylan. Hey, Bro! We’re going to play ball. You want to come? No thanks. Is he OK? He normally loves to talk about school. He didn’t want to talk about school today. It wasn’t my worst day at school —but pretty close. It all started first thing this morning. Everyone was signing a birthday card for one of our classmates, Lucas. Do you want to sign the birthday card for Lucas? He just got home from being at the hospital for cancer treatments. No thanks.

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I’m a Jehovah’s Witness, and I don’t celebrate birthdays. What? Hum? That’s rude. Come on, sign it! You guys, you guys, Aiden— My teacher said that Lucas may not come back to school for a long time. I felt so bad he was sick. Aiden, Aiden, can you think about it? The thing is, I did want to sign the card. Lucas was one of the nicest people in my class. Maybe I can just sign it. I mean, it’s not like I’m going to a birthday party. Hey, little man. How are you doing? Yeah? Mom said you had a rough day today. When Dad came in, I told him everything that happened. I know from the Bible that it’s wrong to celebrate birthdays. But is signing the card really a big deal? Dad said my question was a good one. Then he showed me a scripture. Do you want to get your Bible for me?

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Let’s look in Ephesians 5. Ephesians 5:10: “Keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord.” He said, “We all have to keep making sure “of what’s acceptable to Jehovah because Satan is a master at tricking us.” Then he used the example of Aaron. The Israelites asked Aaron to make them a god. So Aaron made a golden calf, thinking that it could represent Jehovah. He told the people: “There is a festival to Jehovah tomorrow.” But true worship was being mixed with false worship, and Jehovah was not happy. And many were punished. That example helped me a lot. I know birthdays are wrong because the Bible teaches that they are not approved by Jehovah. But we don’t want to be confused like Aaron and try to mix true and false worship. All right, let’s go talk to Mom. We want to make Jehovah happy. So Dad said, “It’s always good to ask, How would Jehovah feel if I did this?” I still didn’t sign the card, but I’m going to do something else for Lucas.

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Can I go see Lucas? Yeah. Go ahead, Buddy. He’s right over there. How have you been feeling? A little better. And then I realized something: Instead of celebrating one day, I could share with Lucas our hope of living forever on a beautiful paradise earth. So there will be no sickness ever again. They will build houses and have food. I enjoyed seeing how we can show love and concern for others, even if we do not share their beliefs. The best way to do so is by simple acts of kindness and by sharing our hope with them, just as Aiden did. And did you notice how the good training by Aiden’s parents helped him make decisions that were pleasing to God?

6. Abilio and Ulla Amorim from Portugal

It made me think of Abilio and Ulla Amorim from Portugal. Both of them endured difficult childhoods, but they did not allow that to affect how they raised their own children. Since I was very young, I was religiously inclined and my dream was to get married to a man that worshipped God and that together we would worship God and live a peaceful life.

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That didn’t happen with my parents. We often had a better relationship with the maid than with my mother. My father was a very distant person. He was always very busy with his work and friends. We wed in 1971 in Paris, France. We were baptized in 1974. I realized I really didn’t know how to raise children, and then I started applying some things mentioned in the Bible. If I wanted to teach them right, I first had to understand things better myself so that I could explain them in a way that God would want us to. In 1976, we moved to Portugal to serve where there was more need. By then, our oldest son was four and a half years old, Maria was three and a half, and Benjamin, one and a half. I remember when we arrived; we lived in a rural area. It was a very small congregation, so we really had to participate from a very early age. They wanted to put, for sure, the spiritual interests first in their life, and they wanted not only to tell us to put the Kingdom interests first but they wanted to show us how to do it. And it was not only that we sat down for family study that we talked about Jehovah and spiritual things.

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I remember walking back home from meetings and then my parents would help us to look for a star constellation; it started a conversation about Jehovah. In Deuteronomy chapter 6, it says that we must always talk to our children. But it’s good to talk about God and help them to see God as a real person —a person that is linked to everything around us. So now I wanted to teach them very much, and not that things about God were sad or boring, but were joyful. Of course, we were imperfect. Many times I did the wrong things. I never remember, “You have to do it because you have to do it.” They always tried to explain the reasons —Bible reasons. I was brought up this way. My parents dictated laws: “You have to do this. You must. This is the way I want it to be.” But I came to understand that God, even in the Bible, instead of only giving or dictating laws, he explains them. He gives so many reasons; he gives reasons for everything. By teaching my children, I have to say that I have learned a lot too. We never felt that we must go to meetings; we must go in service because you have to do it.

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And we were always motivated to do things. I remember, for example, when he gave me a new Bible, and he wrote to me in that Bible, “May this book always be the motivating force in your life.” Several times he told me: “Please never, “never give up in your service. “Jehovah is your Father, and you have to serve him all your life.” The Almighty has children that failed to respond, much like any other parent. God does not force anyone. He respects our free will very much. So we wanted them to build their own future. I always felt that my children were not my own, but it was Jehovah who kindly put them into our hands. He entrusted them to us so that we could care for them. And then when we have done our part, let them fly. My parents always encouraged us to pursue full-time service, even if that meant moving far away from home. My husband and I are serving as field missionaries in Klaipeda, Lithuania. I know I will be grateful for all eternity that I used my youth to serve Jehovah, and that I didn’t waste my years of my young age doing things for this world. My wife and I serve in the Portugal branch office.

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If Jehovah is happy, if my parents are happy, I’m happy too. I’m really sure that they like what we’re doing. They are happy with that. We rejoice that our children are giving their best to their Creator and making him happy. Jehovah deserves that. Of course, we miss our children, and we would like to have them around, but we are very happy for them for having the privilege of serving Jehovah the way they are. Yes, the truths found in the Bible can provide practical help in raising a family. But although Jehovah has given the responsibility of raising children to the parents, other members of the family can also play an important role in encouraging spiritual progress.

7. 3 fleshly sisters from Mongolia

These three fleshly sisters looked after one another while learning about Jehovah. I was the first to start studying the Bible. After that, I started studying too. After watching them for a year, I began studying too. Since our parents had stopped studying, only three of us went to the meetings. We saved our allowance to take the bus to meetings.

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But sometimes when we were short of money— My sisters let me ride the bus, since I’m the youngest, and they would walk. We used to walk an hour and a half each way. Meetings were so important to us that we never felt it was a burden. May 2007. For me, it was October 2006. I was baptized in October 2005. Three years later, I spent a week with a special pioneer who was serving in the countryside. We prayed together every night and read life stories from The Watchtower. I told Jehovah that I wanted to be just like her. Although my relatives were unhappy with my decision, with Jehovah’s help, I decided to become a pioneer. I followed her example, and I became a pioneer too. I was working six days a week to support my family, so I prayed to Jehovah for the opportunity to become a pioneer. After my boss reduced my work to five days a week, I started pioneering. Pioneer service gives you the opportunity to serve Jehovah more fully. Working closely with Jehovah, I really feel part of his family. My relationship with Jehovah has gotten stronger.

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When I pray now, it feels like I’m talking to my close friend. It allows you to expand your ministry. I became a special pioneer in June 2013. I’ve served at Bethel since September 2013. In April 2014, I was appointed a special pioneer. Now I can serve Jehovah more fully. My appreciation for Jehovah has deepened. Our mother, who had opposed us, became a pioneer too. Full-time service is— —really awesome! Whether we are parents or siblings, applying Bible principles helps us to create a strong family bond. It can also help us before we have children, even before we are married. The world tries to tempt us with deceptive lies about what is important in life.

8. Planning a Wedding

But our own careful research of the Bible can protect and guide us when we are planning a wedding. Juliana and I have been friends for a few years, and we have been getting to know each other better for several months. Things were going really well between us.

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I must say, when Nick asked me to join some friends for a little get-together at the park, I was getting suspicious when both our families were there. I said, “Yes!” I couldn’t believe she didn’t see it coming. We were both so excited, and word spread fast! At the meeting the next day, everyone was congratulating us —my friend Natalie especially. She was full of ideas. I couldn’t wait to start making plans. I never realized how much goes into a wedding. And everyone had their own ideas of what we needed —even Dad! We had to think about who we would invite, pick out flowers, decorations, a suit for Nick and, of course, a dress! This was going to be so much fun —or so I thought.

8.1 Wedding industry stress

I soon found out there’s a whole wedding-related industry out there. They were trying to be helpful but, at the same time, this is how they make money. It seemed like nothing they had was modest. And the cost for something I would only wear for one day —I couldn’t afford that!

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Everyone was so happy for me, but inside I was really starting to feel the pressure. When we met back at Juliana’s home, I was pretty confused. She had been so happy a few days ago, but now she was so stressed out. It was like nobody was listening to what we wanted. But to be honest, I’m not sure we knew what we wanted either.

8.2 Christian Wedding

I thought it would be good if maybe we could just take some time and think about what a Christian wedding should really be like. We had a meeting with Brother Grey and Brother Sharp the next day to discuss using the Kingdom Hall for our wedding. They gave us some helpful reminders, and I’m so glad they did. First Corinthians 10:31 says: “Whether you are eating or drinking or doing anything else, do all things for God’s glory.” Brother Sharp helped us to see that a wedding is a spiritual occasion, and we need to keep Jehovah’s standards in mind when we plan for what we will or won’t choose to include. Brother Grey showed us 1 John 2:15, 16: “Do not love either the world or the things in the world. “. . . Because everything in the world “—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes “and the showy display of one’s means of life— . . . originates with the world.” He reminded us that what the world views as normal is far different from Christian standards and that we can be a good example by making sure our choices please Jehovah.

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They even gave us a few articles about wedding arrangements to review. They wanted to make sure we would have a happy occasion with nothing to regret. I asked Brother Sharp if he would be our director of the feast to help keep things coordinated, and he suggested that we talk about it over dinner that night. On the way there, we passed by a photography studio. I couldn’t believe how lavish and showy some weddings are. It looked more like an excuse to party instead of something that’s supposed to honor God. It reminded me of the book of Galatians: “Now the works of the flesh are . . . drunkenness, wild parties, and things like these.” We didn’t want to do anything like that. We each took the time to prayerfully consider the material the brothers gave us. We saw that Scriptural principles can even help us plan a wedding that’s affordable, enjoyable for everyone, and a day that honors Jehovah. It looked like we needed to make some adjustments. We couldn’t include everything we originally thought —some things were just too expensive. And we wanted to make sure that none of our choices reflected the spirit of the world.

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So we decided to start over and make sure we were doing things Jehovah’s way. First Timothy 2:9 says that a Christian “should adorn themselves in appropriate [or “respectable”] dress, with modesty and soundness of mind.” It took some work, but we were able to find something affordable, appropriate, and beautiful. I was able to find a nice suit —something I could even wear later. And of course, the girls came by to make sure that everything matched. Time went by so fast. I called Brother Sharp so he could help us follow through on the day of the wedding. Before we knew it, we were sending out invitations and finalizing all the details. When my dad walked me down the aisle that day, I was so excited. Juliana was so beautiful! And the ceremony was just perfect. After all that planning we did, we were sure to make it legal. When looking back at our photos, it brings back so many good memories. I was so happy with how nice everything turned out.

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And when we saw what a great job our friends had done decorating the reception, I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was perfect —simple, dignified. Our friends all told us that it was one of the nicest weddings they’ve been to. Everything that day was just what we wanted. It even stayed on budget. And most importantly, we got our marriage off to a good start with Jehovah’s help. I’m so happy we found each other. I’m so happy I found you too, Love. And I know we’ll stay happy if we keep Jehovah first. The couple’s ability to reason on Scriptural principles helped them to make the right decisions. Good reasoning ability is an essential quality of a true Christian. But what does it really mean to reason on matters?

9. Reasoning on Matters

This morning worship program by Gary Breaux will show us. If you’d open your Bibles to Romans 12:1, we’ll note that the apostle Paul, as has been commented on, talks about reasoning on matters. That’s Romans 12:1, it says: “Therefore, I appeal to you by the compassions of God, brothers, “to present your bodies as a

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living sacrifice, “holy and acceptable to God, a sacred service with your power of reason.” Ah, so Paul says reasoning has power to it. A synonym for power is influence. And so if you reason something out, you’ll be influenced to make the proper decision, basically. Now, he also introduced something else in our text today. Let’s go there. It’s 2 Thessalonians chapter 2, and we’ll read verses 1 and 2: “However, brothers, “concerning the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ “and our being gathered together to him, “we ask you not to be quickly shaken from your reason “nor to be alarmed either by an inspired statement “or by a spoken message or by a letter appearing to be from us, to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here.” So he introduces this aspect of being quickly shaken once you come to a conclusion on a matter after reasoning it out. Now, he says don’t be quickly shaken once you come to a conclusion of the matter as a result of reasoning the matter out. And that’s what he was telling the Thessalonica congregation here. In the first letter, he had talked about and warned them that Jehovah’s day was imminent and that it was coming, and as a result, some in the congregation went beyond that, saying that it was here.

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In fact, as verse 2 says, there apparently was even a letter that appeared to be from Paul and saying that it’s not that it’s coming —Jehovah’s day is here. And so some got sidetracked as a result of not thinking it through, and their faith was shaken, apparently. And then as you continue, Paul then helped them to reason further that no, there are other things that have to happen before Jehovah’s day. So we’d like to talk about this matter of quickly being shaken —that is our faith. It’s important because we spend years developing a relationship with Jehovah God and developing a solid faith, and just this idea that Paul introduces that one’s faith can be quickly shaken is a rather disconcerting thought. It can happen to any of us, really. I just think about Judas Iscariot, right? John 6:64 says that from the beginning Jesus knew who was the one who would betray him —from the beginning. From the beginning of what? The Insight book says: “‘From the beginning’ of when Judas started to go bad, started to give in to imperfection and sinful inclinations.” Well, how long did that process take? Well, it was less than a year from the time he was appointed as an apostle. Now, we know his appointment was no mistake.

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So within that short period of time, this man went from an apostle to an apostate. That’s why it’s such good counsel that Paul gave for us not to be quickly shaken from matters that we have established as a result of good reasoning. Now, there are times that we’re more susceptible to our faith being quickly shaken than others. And I’d like to talk about that for just a moment. What could some of those times be? Well, it could be when we’re going through stress, depression, or anxiety. The March 1, 2010, Watchtower, makes this comment: “Judgment may be clouded when one is under great emotional stress.” Now let me give you an example —hypothetical, but here’s an example— a brother has a deep relationship with his parents; his mother suddenly dies. This is a great emotional blow to him; he slips into a mild depression, and as a result, his personal study and his spiritual activities slow down. Then a short time later, a sibling is disfellowshipped. This crushes him; he can’t sleep. He wakes up; he gets to the computer; he turns it on, and he slips into watching something inappropriate. Now, what’s just happened? Well, his good reasoning ability was shaken.

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It’s of note that the November 15, 1992, Watchtower, puts it this way: “Severe and prolonged mental depression “may have worn away “some of the person’s normally strong emotional fiber or may have made it extremely difficult to make wise decisions.” So, what could the brother have done? Well, when he first recognized this mild depression or slipping from the spiritual activities, it would have been good for him to get someone to help him identify the cause. Now, what is another circumstance that could quickly shake our faith if we’re not on guard? Well, it has to do with the apostates. Now, there is something that the apostates are talking about and trying to put forward. The media has picked it up; others have also picked it up. And that is our Scriptural position of having a two-witnesses requirement for judicial action if there is no confession. Now, if you open your Bibles to Deuteronomy 19:15, our good reasoning is pretty solid on this. At Deuteronomy 19:15, the scripture is very, very clear. It says: “No single witness may convict another “for any error or any sin that he may commit. “On the testimony of two witnesses “or on the testimony of three witnesses the matter should be established.” It’s very clear, isn’t it?

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You cannot establish a judicial committee based on one witness. But now, listen, here’s what they say: “Well now, look, the Old Testament “also says that adulteresses should be stoned. “Now, since you’re not doing that, why do you stick to this two-witness rule?” You see, if you’re not careful, that can do some tricks on your mind because you have to think it through. Well, how might we do that? Well, we go to Matthew 18:16 because obviously Christ Jesus established the Christian arrangement, and notice what he said. Matthew 18:16, he says: “But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two more, “so that on the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established.” So Christ Jesus establishes the fact that there has to be two witnesses. Now, it doesn’t mean that if there is only one witness that there are no consequences. There might be, depending upon the situation, but the Scriptures are very clear. Before a judicial committee can be convened, there has to be a confession or two witnesses, so we will never change our Scriptural position on that subject. Jehovah has given us the ability to reason things out, to think it through.

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So let’s do our part and not allow our faith to be quickly shaken. Then we can have the confidence that Paul spoke of at 2 Thessalonians 3:5 when he said: “May the Lord continue to guide your hearts successfully to the love of God and to the endurance for the Christ.” Even when difficult circumstances arise, such as judicial matters, we cling to our accurate understanding of the Bible. Yes, Jehovah is the God of truth. And our desire for accurate knowledge motivates us to draw ever closer to Jehovah and to learn more about his perfect qualities. Just think of everything we can learn about him when we take the time to study his works of creation. Psalm 104:24 reads: “How many your works are, O Jehovah! “You have made all of them in wisdom. The earth is full of what you have made.”

10. Music Video – Inspired by Your Wonders

In harmony with that, our music video for this month is entitled Inspired by Your Wonders. I hear the birds singing out to the sunrise. I see the stars fading away in the morning light. Golden sun shines on down through the treetops, Where there is a summer breeze that whispers so soft. And I sing, “O Jah, Jehovah my God, The work of your hands fills us with awe.”

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I stare at the stars, Wondering how you care who we are. I see your wonders, and I sing to you. I see your wonders, and I sing to you. I sing to you. These wondrous, moving, breathing creations— Oh, in the night, in the day— can you hear what they say? From mountaintops to the bottoms of oceans, Let ev’ry living thing sing out to your praise. And I sing, “O Jah, Jehovah my God, The work of your hands fills us with awe.” I stare at the stars, Wondering how you care who we are. I see your wonders, and I sing to you. I see your wonders, and I sing to you. I sing to you. Looking past what we can see with our eyes, We will come to know more about the One who gave us life. And I sing, “O Jah, Jehovah my God, The work of your hands fills us with awe.” I stare at the stars, Wondering how you care who we are. I see your wonders, and I sing to you. I see your wonders, and I sing to you. I see your wonders, and I—I sing to you.

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I see your wonders, and I—I sing to you. I see your wonders, and I—I sing to you. I sing to you.

11. Summary

When we take time to reflect on the beauties of creation, it becomes clear that there is a higher intelligence who made all these things. Well, David, it’s hard to imagine that we’ve already come to the end of another monthly broadcast. And, Jim, I want to thank you very much for all your help with this program. I really, really appreciate it.

12. Cuzco, Peru - RTO

Now, before we conclude, we’d like to visit the city of Cuzco in Peru, where we have a Remote Translation Office, or RTO. The city of Cuzco is a stopover for travelers to Machu Picchu, a historic sanctuary of the former Inca Empire, located high up in the mountains. Machu Picchu is an architectural marvel. The design is earthquake resistant. Giant stones were cut so precisely that in many places a piece of paper cannot fit in between them.

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At such high altitudes, you can also see llamas, which are raised in the Andes Mountains. The Inca people spoke Quechua, a language that is spoken by millions of Peruvians today. There has been a translation office in Cuzco since 2004, but as the work grew, so did the need for more office space. So in 2016, a new RTO was dedicated. The blessings of the translation work have been evident. Since the Bible Teach book was released in Quechua in 2007, the number of publishers increased from about 700 to nearly 1,700 last year. In addition to The Watchtower and the Life and Ministry Meeting Workbook, videos are translated at this office, ranging from JW Broadcasting monthly programs to episodes of Become Jehovah’s Friend. There are several regions in Peru where Quechua is spoken, all with slightly different dialects and expressions. Hence, each translation team has representatives from these areas in order to ensure that the translation is universally understood among Quechua speakers. Approximately 40 brothers and sisters work at the RTO, of which 15 are full-time. In the Cuzco area, there are 28 congregations and 38 groups, with about 2,000 publishers. We love our brothers and sisters in Cuzco very much indeed. And they want you to know how much they love you.

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Well, until next time, this is JW Broadcasting from the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses.