00:01 Greetings!
00:03 We’re so happy you could join us for this broadcast.
00:06 And I’m very happy because my cohost this month
00:10 is a good friend of mine and a fellow worker, Brother Jim Mantz.
00:14 Now, Jim and I work together in the Writing Department,
00:17 and Jim helps the Writing Department —Jim and his team.
00:20 They help the Writing Department
00:22 to keep track of all the projects that we have to work on.
00:25 And do you have any idea how many that is?
00:28 Two hundred and forty-one at any given time.
00:31 And Jim does a lot of other things as well.
00:35 Well, Jim, we’ve got another project on hand this month,
00:38 and that’s to get this broadcast under way.
00:40 So why don’t you tell the folks at home just what they have to look forward to?
00:45 Well, David, this month we’ll get acquainted with a family
00:49 that raised their children to put Jehovah first in their lives.
00:54 Let’s look for points we can apply in our families.
00:58 Later, our music video will emphasize the need
01:00 to take the time to marvel at Jehovah’s creation.
01:05 And we’ll visit the Writing Research Department.
01:09 The brothers and sisters there
01:11 help us to ensure that all our articles
01:14 and videos are accurate.
01:16 You’re going to enjoy this program,
01:18 and this is the November 2017 program
01:22 of JW Broadcasting!
01:42 This month I’d like to talk about the efforts
01:45 Jehovah’s organization is making
01:47 to produce literature, publications,
01:51 articles that are as accurate as possible.
01:55 We’re going to talk about accuracy —accuracy of statement.
02:00 Now, first, what’s the responsibility of the writer of the article?
02:06 When a writer submits an article for publication,
02:09 he is expected to supply references from reputable sources
02:13 to back up the facts that he’s included in his article.
02:16 And our Research Department will use those references
02:19 to check the accuracy of everything.
02:22 Reliable, respected sources.
02:25 What do we mean by a reliable source?
02:29 Well, first of all, we go with encyclopedias,
02:32 books, magazines, and then newspapers
02:37 —basically in that order.
02:39 We prefer encyclopedias over books,
02:42 books over magazines,
02:45 and magazines over newspapers
02:47 —generally because newspaper editors have a hard time checking their facts.
02:50 They have a very limited time in which to check their facts.
02:54 Even encyclopedias and books get updated,
02:58 so we have to go with the latest edition of those.
03:02 We have to make sure that our sources are reliable.
03:06 Now, when a writer quotes an expert,
03:09 our researchers will ask: “Who’s this expert?
03:12 “What’s his reputation?
03:14 “Is he working for a particular organization?
03:17 “Does this organization have an agenda?
03:21 Is it a special-interest group?”
03:23 If we find that the goals of the organization are questionable,
03:27 we won’t use the quote —even if it’s a really good quote.
03:33 Now, suppose that a writer wants to quote something from a book.
03:37 In the reference material,
03:39 he’ll supply a photocopy of the quote in the book,
03:42 but very often he’ll give us two or three pages before the quote
03:46 and two or three pages after as well.
03:49 And that way, our researchers can examine the quote
03:52 in context to make sure that what we’re saying in print
03:56 is really what the author of the quote had in mind.
04:00 For example, an evolutionist might make a statement
04:03 which on the surface
04:05 appears to confirm his support of creation.
04:09 Or perhaps an atheist will make a statement
04:11 that seems to indicate that he believes in God.
04:15 But when you examine the quote in context,
04:17 you realize that that isn’t what the author had in mind at all.
04:21 We would never deliberately distort a quotation.
04:25 We try very hard to use all of our quotations in context.
04:31 Now, it’s important to keep up with the very latest research.
04:35 Something that was stated years ago as a fact may have been disproved.
04:39 And the reason why is obvious.
04:41 Someone may spend his entire life
04:44 researching a very limited point in history
04:47 —a very small point in history—
04:49 and, of course, if he spends so much time researching,
04:52 he’s going to uncover things.
04:54 And so it’s not surprising that from time to time
04:56 we have to adjust our view of some historical points.
05:00 We have to check, check, check.
05:03 And later on in this discussion, we’re going to consider some examples of it.
05:07 It’ll be fun; you’ll love it!
05:10 Now, someone might ask, ‘Why is it necessary to be so picky,
05:14 to be so fussy, about accuracy?’
05:18 And in answer, I’d like to give an experience
05:21 that I heard about a few years ago.
05:23 In Northern Europe, there was a man
05:25 who accepted a Bible study from Jehovah’s Witnesses.
05:28 And when he was asked
05:30 what motivated him to want to study, he said:
05:33 “I read an article in your Awake! magazine on trees.
05:37 “Now, I happen to be a bit of an expert on trees.
05:40 “And after I read the article, I said to myself:
05:43 “‘That article was so well-documented.
05:47 “‘It was so precise.
05:49 “‘Any organization that is that careful when writing about trees
05:53 is going to be just as careful when teaching me the Bible.’”
05:56 And on that basis, he accepted a Bible study.
06:02 Now, an area where great care needs to be taken
06:05 is when we’re quoting statistics.
06:07 A newspaper may report on a disaster in a certain country
06:10 and say that 10,000 people were killed in the disaster.
06:15 Immediately, our researchers are going to ask,
06:18 “Where did they get that statistic?”
06:21 They might phone the newspaper and ask for the source.
06:24 And if the reporter can’t confirm the statistic,
06:27 our researchers will go to another source
06:30 —a more official source— to get the correct statistic.
06:34 Care is also taken when quoting personalities of the past.
06:38 Now, suppose we want to quote something that Napoleon Bonaparte said
06:43 —the French general.
06:45 Well, being French, Napoleon spoke French.
06:49 So if we’re quoting it in English,
06:51 that means that somebody translated the quote from French into English.
06:56 But did they translate the quote correctly?
06:59 Our researchers will probably go to the target language
07:04 and research the quote in French or in another language.
07:08 And more often than not, they find that what is presented in English
07:13 doesn’t accurately represent what the individual said at all.
07:19 Now, as we age, our memory can play tricks on us.
07:22 And our researchers are aware of that.
07:26 Suppose that an elderly brother writes in his life story
07:29 that he was baptized at a circuit assembly on a certain date.
07:33 Our researchers may look at the date.
07:36 They may check the date,
07:38 and suppose they find that the date the brother gave fell on a Tuesday.
07:43 Now, what are the chances that there was a circuit assembly on a Tuesday?
07:47 There may have been, but they’re going to check.
07:50 Is the brother’s memory failing him?
07:53 If they can’t confirm the date,
07:55 they may ask someone to help the brother
07:57 to remember the date more correctly, more accurately.
08:00 Perhaps someone was baptized at the same circuit assembly as he was,
08:04 and perhaps that person has an accurate note of the date.
08:09 Our translators also go to great lengths
08:12 to present accurate information to the brothers and sisters.
08:16 Some time ago, the Awake! magazine published an article
08:19 on a very rare species of butterfly.
08:23 Now, with all animals and insects,
08:25 we provide our translators
08:28 with the Latin name of the animal or the insect.
08:31 And so our translators had the Latin name.
08:33 But in one large country,
08:35 they were unable to find the name in the vernacular.
08:38 So, what did they do?
08:40 They phoned the country’s leading university,
08:43 and they were transferred to the Biology Department,
08:46 and there an expert gave them
08:48 the name in the vernacular of that particular butterfly.
08:52 But then he said: “Why is it that you’re worrying so much
08:56 “about the correct name of this butterfly?
08:58 “If you got it wrong, there are only two of us
09:00 in the whole country who would’ve known the difference.”
09:03 Well, that opened the way to give a witness to this expert.
09:09 Well, now, how well would you do
09:11 in spotting a statement that is slightly off
09:13 and making it more accurate?
09:16 Would you like to find out?
09:18 Of course you would! It’ll be fun.
09:20 So let’s take a quiz that I’ll call
09:22 You Be the Editor.
09:24 We’re going to put a number of statements on the screen,
09:27 and there’s a problem with each one of them.
09:30 Now your job is to figure out what’s wrong,
09:33 why it is wrong, and then suggest how to fix it.
09:37 It’s going to be fun.
09:39 Here’s the first statement:
09:41 “According to the Smithsonian Knowledge Encyclopedia,
09:45 “the Egyptian Sphinx
09:47 was constructed around 2550 B.C.E.”
09:51 “The Egyptian Sphinx
09:54 was constructed around 2550 B.C.E.”
09:58 Well, the problem
10:00 is with the date 2550 B.C.E.
10:03 The global Flood occurred
10:05 about 200 years after that date.
10:08 So, what are the chances that the Sphinx survived the Flood?
10:12 Unless, of course, you think that’s how the Sphinx lost his nose.
10:16 Now, these dates are good for you school children
10:19 to keep in mind when you’re writing reports.
10:21 Sometimes you copy something from an encyclopedia,
10:24 and it gives a certain date.
10:26 But think about the date of the Flood,
2370 B.C.E.,
10:29 so that what you put in your report is as accurate as possible.
10:36 Now let’s go on to the next one:
10:38 “In 29 C.E.,
10:40 “Jesus was baptized by a close relative,
10:44 John the Baptizer.”
10:48 Well, 29 C.E., that looks right.
10:50 And we know that Jesus
10:52 was baptized by John; that’s right.
10:54 So the problem must be
10:56 “close relative,” and it is.
10:59 Now, both of Jesus’ parents
11:02 were of the tribe of Judah, and their parents were of the tribe of Judah.
11:07 But, what about John’s parents, Zechariah and Elizabeth?
11:10 They were both of the tribe of Levi.
11:12 So Elizabeth and Mary couldn’t have been sisters.
11:15 Could they have been cousins?
11:17 Maybe.
11:18 We can’t even confirm that.
11:20 And if they were, that would make Jesus and John second cousins.
11:24 Well, is a second cousin a “close relative”?
11:28 Some would say yes; some would say no.
11:30 So it’s safer just to say,
11:33 “In 29 C.E., Jesus was baptized by a relative,
11:37 John the Baptizer.”
11:40 Here’s one.
11:41 Let’s see if you can spot the error in this one:
11:44 “While most of the early Christians
11:46 “were held in little esteem in the community,
11:48 “a few enjoyed an elevated social status.
11:52 For example, Luke was a respected physician.”
11:57 Well, the word we need
11:59 to look at is “respected.”
12:02 We respect our doctors today,
12:05 and our doctors have a very, very fine education.
12:08 But was that the case in the first century?
12:11 A reference work says this about first-century physicians:
12:15 “Many doctors were freed Greek slaves,
12:19 “hence the social standing of doctors was quite low.
12:23 “Because recovery rates were so low,
12:26 many people were skeptical or even scornful of doctors.”
12:30 Note this statement from the first century:
12:33 “Until recently, Diaulus was a doctor;
12:36 “now he is an undertaker.
12:39 “He is still doing as an undertaker,
12:41 what he used to do as a doctor.”
12:44 Not very flattering, is it?
12:46 Well, in this case, we’d probably have to use a different example.
12:51 Here’s one:
12:52 “In 325 C.E.,
12:55 “the Roman Emperor Constantine
12:57 “established Christianity
12:59 “as the official religion
13:01 of the Roman Empire.”
13:04 Well, 325 C.E., that looks right.
13:08 And Constantine, that looks right.
13:11 But look at the word “official”
13:13 —“official religion.”
13:16 Constantine never established Christianity
13:19 as the official religion of the Roman Empire.
13:23 In 313 B.C.E., he did make it legal to be a Christian,
13:26 but paganism was still one of the official religions.
13:29 Apostate Christianity didn’t become the official religion
13:33 until 391 C.E.
13:36 This one is tricky.
13:39 See how you do with this one:
13:41 “Imagine the apostle Paul
13:43 “during his first imprisonment in Rome,
13:46 “writing his letter to the Colossians
13:48 from a dark prison cell.”
13:52 Well, if you look in the back of the New World Translation,
13:54 you’ll find that Paul did write his letter to the Colossians while in Rome,
13:58 and he was imprisoned at the time.
14:01 So, what’s the problem?
14:04 “Dark prison cell.”
14:06 Where was Paul during his first imprisonment?
14:09 In his own rented house.
14:11 So the statement “dark prison cell,”
14:14 it’s very dramatic, but it’s all wrong.
14:18 Here’s an old one:
14:20 “While Paul generally preached
14:22 “to people of the nations,
14:24 “Peter was sent to the Jews.
14:26 “Contrary to popular belief,
14:29 Peter was never in Rome.”
14:32 Some scholars used to make that statement,
14:34 and they made it 60 years ago:
14:37 “Peter was never in Rome.”
14:40 But can we really say that?
14:42 Can we be that dogmatic?
14:44 Can we say that he didn’t even spend
14:46 vacation time or have a short visit in Rome?
14:49 No, we cannot.
14:51 So it would be more accurate to state:
14:53 “There is no record that Peter ever lived in Rome.”
14:58 Here’s one:
15:00 “We can have confidence in the Bible
15:03 —it is mankind’s oldest book.”
15:06 “Mankind’s oldest book.”
15:10 Years ago, some scholars believed
15:13 that texts written by Adam, Noah, and others
15:16 survived the Flood and became part of the Bible.
15:19 And if that were true,
15:21 then we could say that the Bible is mankind’s oldest book.
15:25 Now, here’s a quote from Insight on the Scriptures,
15:28 our Bible encyclopedia.
15:30 It says: “There is no way to establish definitely
15:34 “that some of the histories mentioned in the book of Genesis
15:37 were committed to writing before the Flood.”
15:40 So, today we might call the Bible one of mankind’s oldest books
15:44 or the world’s oldest modern book,
15:48 as we do in one of our videos.
15:50 Here’s the last one:
15:53 “In 1517,
15:55 “Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses
15:58 on the door of a church in Wittenberg, Germany.”
16:03 Well, we’ve highlighted “95,”
16:05 but there are questions about the entire statement.
16:08 Some modern scholars have done
16:11 a tremendous, exhaustive study of the life of Martin Luther,
16:14 and they claim that he couldn’t have compiled
16:17 all 95 of his theses by 1517.
16:21 Others go so far as to claim that it never happened
16:25 —that he never did nail his theses on the door of the church.
16:29 Still others are just as adamant that it’s all true
16:32 —that it all happened.
16:34 So there’s no consensus.
16:37 We would have to modify the statement
16:39 —“some believe” or “it is believed”—
16:42 in order to make it more accurate
16:44 and to acknowledge the fact that there are differences of opinion.
16:49 Well, how did you do on the quiz?
16:52 If you’re like me, you’ve probably made some of those statements yourself at times.
16:57 The statements were based on the best research we had at the time.
17:01 But this is to illustrate the fact that times change;
17:04 research facilities improve.
17:07 A scholar does exhaustive research on one point of history,
17:12 and he uncovers things that were previously unknown.
17:15 So we have to keep up.
17:17 We have to check, check, check.
17:20 And when credible research reveals that we have to adjust
17:24 or tweak a statement that we made in the past,
17:26 we do so without hesitation.
17:29 Our goal is to provide information that is as accurate as possible
17:34 because we know that you brothers and sisters use this information.
17:37 You quote it in the field ministry.
17:39 You use it in your public talks.
17:41 So we want to make sure that our brothers are fed
17:44 with the most accurate spiritual food possible.
17:48 We’re imperfect, of course, and we are going to make mistakes.
17:52 And when we do, we have to correct them.
17:55 Our goal is to do the best we can in all our imperfection.
18:01 Well, how does it make you feel?
18:03 I know how it makes me feel.
18:06 I’m grateful that Jehovah’s organization takes accuracy so seriously.
18:11 It gives me confidence.
18:13 And, you know, I’m reminded of the description of another researcher,
18:17 as recorded at Ecclesiastes 12:9, 10.
18:23 You know who this is.
18:25 Ecclesiastes 12:9, 10:
18:30 “Not only had the congregator become wise
18:33 “but he continually taught the people what he knew,
18:37 “and he pondered
18:40 “and made a thorough search
18:43 “in order to compile many proverbs.
18:46 “The congregator sought to find delightful words
18:49 and to record accurate words of truth.”
18:54 Now, let’s give our attention to my good friend Jim.
18:59 And I think Jim is ready to take us on a field trip
19:02 so we can meet some of the researchers at Bethel.
19:04 Thank you, David.
19:05 And, yes, our researchers take very seriously
19:09 their task of maintaining
19:11 a high standard of accuracy.
19:17 In today’s media, much of what’s presented as fact
19:22 is often colored by emotion and personal opinion.
19:30 Jehovah’s Witnesses, however,
19:32 remain committed to defending God’s Word,
19:35 the Bible, as the standard for truth.
19:38 As Jesus said at John 17:17:
19:41 “Your word is truth.”
19:44 The wide-ranging subject matter
19:46 contained in the publications of Jehovah’s Witnesses
19:49 is painstakingly researched by their Writing Research Department.
19:53 Their research methods are modeled after that of Bible historians
19:56 such as Luke and Jeremiah
19:59 —reliance on reputable first-hand sources.
20:05 We’re not looking just for someone’s opinions
20:07 or what someone believes about a topic.
20:08 If the material is socially
20:10 or politically biased, for example,
20:12 we can’t rely on it.
20:14 We look for objective material.
20:16 We cover everything
20:18 from historical, scientific, geographical
20:21 to flora, fauna, space.
20:24 So before the script is even written,
20:26 we’ll provide a research package,
20:29 and we’ll follow the project until final delivery
20:31 to make sure that everything that is said
20:33 and everything that is shown
20:35 is solidly based on fact
20:37 and is well-researched.
20:38 There’s a lot more research than what
20:41 the viewer or the reader will ever see.
20:44 You have a one-page article on the otter;
20:46 you end up with like 12 references
20:48 to back up every statement that’s made.
20:50 It seems very simple,
20:52 the height of Mont Blanc.
20:53 And with the height of Mont Blanc,
20:55 we found out, number one, that it was 4,807 meters;
20:59 then we found another source —4,810 meters;
21:02 let’s check a third one —4,808 meters.
21:05 So, what is now real?
21:06 In that case, we had to consult
21:09 the French National Institute of Geographic and Forest Information.
21:14 One of our main research tools
21:16 is our own library system.
21:18 We have about 65,000 books and other research materials.
21:24 If we’re researching something about ancient history
21:27 or archaeology,
21:29 we may consult a specialized encyclopedia,
21:33 like an encyclopedia of archaeological discoveries, for example.
21:36 Museum websites usually have pictures
21:39 of what they have in the museum.
21:41 And we can find these visuals and then send those off to production teams
21:44 as well and say, “This is a good example
21:46 of a first-century lamp.”
21:48 Things that you think are true
21:50 because they are “commonly known”
21:53 may not actually be totally accurate.
21:56 Quotes need to be verified.
21:58 We want to go to the first-hand source,
22:02 the original source, for that quote.
22:04 That’s one thing.
22:05 And secondly, context matters; we want to quote things properly.
22:09 When Gandhi and Lord Irwin came together,
22:14 Gandhi said, ‘When your country and mine come together
22:17 ‘on the teachings of Christ and on the Sermon on the Mount,
22:20 then we will have solved the problems of our countries and the world.’
22:23 So we researched it.
22:25 No one could confirm that those two men ever met.
22:28 So it’s a great quote.
22:30 Now, it doesn’t mean that he didn’t refer to Jesus
22:32 or even the Sermon on the Mount, but that particular one, we couldn’t use.
22:36 So the research work we’re doing,
22:38 sometimes it takes a lot of time, a lot of effort.
22:42 Sometimes we don’t find what we are expecting to find.
22:47 But it’s very gratifying because we’re helping produce
22:51 accurate information that our readers can rely on.
22:54 Reliable information will help us make good informed decisions.
22:58 Anyone who reads our journals and who sees our videos
23:01 can be confident that this was thoroughly researched.
23:05 These are facts; this is the truth.
23:07 So when you consider the printed publications
23:10 of Jehovah’s Witnesses
23:11 or peruse the jw.org website,
23:14 you can be confident that the material
23:17 is carefully researched and accurate.
23:19 Why?
23:21 Because Jehovah’s Witnesses
23:23 are a people who love and respect
23:26 the truth.
23:31 As Psalm 31:5 expresses,
23:34 we worship “Jehovah, the God of truth.”
23:38 So it would only make sense that we try to imitate him
23:42 to the best of our ability
23:45 by being truthful in all the materials that we publish.
23:49 He, no doubt, finds this very pleasing,
23:52 especially since throughout history,
23:55 many have tried to twist his teachings.
23:58 Although the organization makes efforts to publish accurate information,
24:03 there are many things that we can do as individuals.
24:07 This dramatization highlights how our view of celebrations
24:12 can be pleasing to Jehovah.
24:25 Hey, Buddy!
24:26 How was school?
24:31 That’s my Dad, Grayson,
24:33 and my older brother, Dylan.
24:38 Hey, Bro!
24:39 We’re going to play ball. You want to come?
24:40 No thanks.
24:43 Is he OK?
24:45 He normally loves to talk about school.
24:47 He didn’t want to talk about school today.
24:52 It wasn’t my worst day at school —but pretty close.
24:58 It all started first thing this morning.
25:02 Everyone was signing a birthday card for one of our classmates, Lucas.
25:06 Do you want to sign the birthday card for Lucas?
25:08 He just got home from being at the hospital for cancer treatments.
25:11 No thanks.
25:12 I’m a Jehovah’s Witness, and I don’t celebrate birthdays.
25:15 What?
25:15 Hum?
25:16 That’s rude.
25:17 Come on, sign it!
25:21 You guys, you guys, Aiden—
25:24 My teacher said that Lucas may not come back to school for a long time.
25:29 I felt so bad he was sick.
25:40 Aiden, Aiden, can you think about it?
25:49 The thing is, I did want to sign the card.
25:56 Lucas was one of the nicest people in my class.
26:00 Maybe I can just sign it.
26:04 I mean, it’s not like I’m going to a birthday party.
26:13 Hey, little man. How are you doing?
26:17 Yeah?
26:17 Mom said you had a rough day today.
26:19 When Dad came in, I told him everything that happened.
26:25 I know from the Bible that it’s wrong to celebrate birthdays.
26:29 But is signing the card really a big deal?
26:34 Dad said my question was a good one.
26:38 Then he showed me a scripture.
26:40 Do you want to get your Bible for me?
26:41 Let’s look in Ephesians 5.
26:42 Ephesians 5:10:
26:44 “Keep on making sure of what is acceptable to the Lord.”
26:50 He said, “We all have to keep making sure
26:53 “of what’s acceptable to Jehovah
26:56 because Satan is a master at tricking us.”
27:00 Then he used the example of Aaron.
27:08 The Israelites asked Aaron to make them a god.
27:16 So Aaron made a golden calf,
27:18 thinking that it could represent Jehovah.
27:22 He told the people:
27:24 “There is a festival to Jehovah tomorrow.”
27:28 But true worship was being mixed with false worship,
27:33 and Jehovah was not happy.
27:36 And many were punished.
27:41 That example helped me a lot.
27:46 I know birthdays are wrong because the Bible teaches
27:49 that they are not approved by Jehovah.
27:53 But we don’t want to be confused like Aaron
27:56 and try to mix true and false worship.
27:59 All right, let’s go talk to Mom.
28:01 We want to make Jehovah happy.
28:06 So Dad said, “It’s always good to ask,
28:10 How would Jehovah feel if I did this?”
28:13 I still didn’t sign the card, but I’m going to do something else for Lucas.
28:39 Can I go see Lucas?
28:41 Yeah. Go ahead, Buddy.
28:42 He’s right over there.
28:53 How have you been feeling?
28:55 A little better.
28:58 And then I realized something:
29:00 Instead of celebrating one day,
29:03 I could share with Lucas our hope
29:05 of living forever on a beautiful paradise earth.
29:09 So there will be no sickness ever again.
29:14 They will build houses and have food.
29:20 I enjoyed seeing how we can show love and concern for others,
29:24 even if we do not share their beliefs.
29:27 The best way to do so is by simple acts of kindness
29:32 and by sharing our hope with them, just as Aiden did.
29:37 And did you notice how the good training by Aiden’s parents
29:41 helped him make decisions that were pleasing to God?
29:45 It made me think of Abilio and Ulla Amorim from Portugal.
29:49 Both of them endured difficult childhoods,
29:53 but they did not allow that to affect how they raised their own children.
30:07 Since I was very young, I was religiously inclined
30:10 and my dream was to get married to a man that worshipped God
30:15 and that together we would worship God and live a peaceful life.
30:21 That didn’t happen with my parents.
30:24 We often had a better relationship with the maid than with my mother.
30:32 My father was a very distant person.
30:35 He was always very busy with his work and friends.
30:40 We wed in 1971 in Paris, France.
30:45 We were baptized in 1974.
30:48 I realized I really didn’t know how to raise children,
30:54 and then I started applying some things
30:56 mentioned in the Bible.
30:58 If I wanted to teach them right,
31:01 I first had to understand things better myself
31:04 so that I could explain them in a way that God would want us to.
31:09 In 1976, we moved to Portugal
31:13 to serve where there was more need.
31:18 By then, our oldest son was four and a half years old,
31:22 Maria was three and a half, and Benjamin, one and a half.
31:27 I remember when we arrived; we lived in a rural area.
31:32 It was a very small congregation,
31:34 so we really had to participate
31:37 from a very early age.
31:39 They wanted to put,
31:40 for sure, the spiritual interests first in their life,
31:43 and they wanted not only to tell us
31:47 to put the Kingdom interests first but they wanted to show us
31:51 how to do it.
31:52 And it was not only that we sat down for family study
31:56 that we talked about Jehovah and spiritual things.
31:59 I remember walking back home
32:01 from meetings and then my parents would help us
32:04 to look for a star constellation;
32:07 it started a conversation about Jehovah.
32:09 In Deuteronomy chapter 6,
32:12 it says that we must always talk to our children.
32:14 But it’s good to talk about God
32:17 and help them to see God as a real person
32:20 —a person that is linked to everything around us.
32:22 So now I wanted to teach them very much,
32:26 and not that things about God
32:27 were sad or boring, but were joyful.
32:30 Of course, we were imperfect.
32:33 Many times I did the wrong things.
32:36 I never remember, “You have to do it because you have to do it.”
32:39 They always tried to explain the reasons
32:43 —Bible reasons.
32:44 I was brought up this way.
32:46 My parents dictated laws: “You have to do this.
32:49 You must. This is the way I want it to be.”
32:52 But I came to understand that God, even in the Bible,
32:56 instead of only giving or dictating laws, he explains them.
32:59 He gives so many reasons; he gives reasons for everything.
33:03 By teaching my children, I have to say that I have learned a lot too.
33:08 We never felt that we must go to meetings;
33:11 we must go in service because you have to do it.
33:14 And we were always motivated to do things.
33:18 I remember, for example, when he gave me a new Bible,
33:22 and he wrote to me in that Bible,
33:26 “May this book always be the motivating force in your life.”
33:31 Several times he told me:
33:34 “Please never,
33:36 “never give up in your service.
33:40 “Jehovah is your Father, and you have to serve him
33:48 all your life.”
33:51 The Almighty has children that failed to respond,
33:56 much like any other parent.
34:00 God does not force anyone.
34:03 He respects our free will very much.
34:07 So we wanted them to build their own future.
34:12 I always felt that my children were not my own,
34:16 but it was Jehovah who kindly put them into our hands.
34:21 He entrusted them to us so that we could care for them.
34:26 And then when we have done our part, let them fly.
34:42 My parents always encouraged us
34:44 to pursue full-time service,
34:47 even if that meant moving far away from home.
34:52 My husband and I are serving as field missionaries in Klaipeda, Lithuania.
34:57 I know I will be grateful for all eternity
34:59 that I used my youth to serve Jehovah,
35:02 and that I didn’t waste my years of my young age
35:07 doing things for this world.
35:12 My wife and I serve in the Portugal branch office.
35:15 If Jehovah is happy, if my parents are happy, I’m happy too.
35:20 I’m really sure that they like what we’re doing.
35:22 They are happy with that.
35:25 We rejoice that our children are giving their best
35:29 to their Creator and making him happy.
35:31 Jehovah deserves that.
35:36 Of course, we miss our children,
35:37 and we would like to have them around,
35:40 but we are very happy for them
35:43 for having the privilege of serving Jehovah the way they are.
35:50 Yes, the truths found in the Bible
35:54 can provide practical help in raising a family.
35:58 But although Jehovah has given the responsibility
36:01 of raising children to the parents,
36:04 other members of the family can also play an important role
36:08 in encouraging spiritual progress.
36:11 These three fleshly sisters looked after one another
36:15 while learning about Jehovah.
36:24 I was the first to start studying the Bible.
36:28 After that, I started studying too.
36:32 After watching them for a year,
36:34 I began studying too.
36:36 Since our parents had stopped studying,
36:39 only three of us went to the meetings.
36:43 We saved our allowance to take the bus to meetings.
36:46 But sometimes when we were short of money—
36:49 My sisters let me ride the bus,
36:52 since I’m the youngest, and they would walk.
36:55 We used to walk an hour and a half each way.
37:01 Meetings were so important to us that we never felt it was a burden.
37:05 May 2007.
37:08 For me, it was October 2006.
37:11 I was baptized in October 2005.
37:16 Three years later, I spent a week
37:19 with a special pioneer who was serving in the countryside.
37:23 We prayed together every night
37:26 and read life stories from The Watchtower.
37:29 I told Jehovah that I wanted to be just like her.
37:34 Although my relatives were unhappy with my decision,
37:38 with Jehovah’s help, I decided to become a pioneer.
37:42 I followed her example, and I became a pioneer too.
37:46 I was working six days a week to support my family,
37:50 so I prayed to Jehovah for the opportunity to become a pioneer.
37:54 After my boss reduced my work to five days a week,
37:57 I started pioneering.
38:01 Pioneer service gives you the opportunity
38:04 to serve Jehovah more fully.
38:06 Working closely with Jehovah, I really feel part of his family.
38:12 My relationship with Jehovah has gotten stronger.
38:15 When I pray now, it feels like I’m talking to my close friend.
38:19 It allows you to expand your ministry.
38:22 I became a special pioneer in June 2013.
38:27 I’ve served at Bethel since September 2013.
38:31 In April 2014, I was appointed a special pioneer.
38:37 Now I can serve Jehovah more fully.
38:40 My appreciation for Jehovah has deepened.
38:44 Our mother, who had opposed us, became a pioneer too.
38:49 Full-time service is—
38:50 —really awesome!
38:55 Whether we are parents or siblings,
38:58 applying Bible principles
39:01 helps us to create a strong family bond.
39:04 It can also help us before we have children,
39:07 even before we are married.
39:10 The world tries to tempt us
39:12 with deceptive lies about what is important in life.
39:17 But our own careful research of the Bible
39:20 can protect and guide us when we are planning a wedding.
39:30 Juliana and I have been friends for a few years,
39:35 and we have been getting to know each other better for several months.
39:39 Things were going really well between us.
39:42 I must say, when Nick asked me to join some friends
39:46 for a little get-together at the park,
39:48 I was getting suspicious
39:50 when both our families were there.
39:53 I said, “Yes!”
39:58 I couldn’t believe she didn’t see it coming.
40:02 We were both so excited, and word spread fast!
40:07 At the meeting the next day, everyone was congratulating us
40:11 —my friend Natalie especially.
40:14 She was full of ideas.
40:17 I couldn’t wait to start making plans.
40:22 I never realized how much goes into a wedding.
40:25 And everyone had their own ideas of what we needed
40:28 —even Dad!
40:30 We had to think about who we would invite,
40:33 pick out flowers, decorations,
40:36 a suit for Nick and, of course, a dress!
40:40 This was going to be
40:42 so much fun —or so I thought.
40:47 I soon found out there’s a whole wedding-related industry out there.
40:51 They were trying to be helpful but, at the same time,
40:56 this is how they make money.
40:58 It seemed like nothing they had was modest.
41:02 And the cost for something I would only wear for one day
41:07 —I couldn’t afford that!
41:09 Everyone was so happy for me,
41:12 but inside I was really starting to feel the pressure.
41:17 When we met back at Juliana’s home,
41:20 I was pretty confused.
41:22 She had been so happy a few days ago,
41:25 but now she was so stressed out.
41:28 It was like nobody was listening to what we wanted.
41:31 But to be honest,
41:33 I’m not sure we knew what we wanted either.
41:37 I thought it would be good if maybe we could just take some time
41:41 and think about what a Christian wedding should really be like.
41:46 We had a meeting with Brother Grey and Brother Sharp the next day
41:49 to discuss using the Kingdom Hall for our wedding.
41:52 They gave us some helpful reminders,
41:54 and I’m so glad they did.
41:57 First Corinthians 10:31 says:
41:59 “Whether you are eating or drinking or doing anything else,
42:04 do all things for God’s glory.”
42:07 Brother Sharp helped us to see that a wedding is a spiritual occasion,
42:11 and we need to keep Jehovah’s standards in mind
42:13 when we plan for what we will or won’t choose to include.
42:18 Brother Grey showed us 1 John 2:15, 16:
42:23 “Do not love either the world or the things in the world.
42:27 “. . . Because everything in the world
42:30 “—the desire of the flesh and the desire of the eyes
42:34 “and the showy display of one’s means of life—
42:36 . . . originates with the world.”
42:39 He reminded us that what the world views as normal
42:43 is far different from Christian standards
42:46 and that we can be a good example
42:49 by making sure our choices please Jehovah.
42:52 They even gave us a few articles about wedding arrangements to review.
42:57 They wanted to make sure we would have a happy occasion with nothing to regret.
43:02 I asked Brother Sharp if he would be our director of the feast
43:06 to help keep things coordinated,
43:08 and he suggested that we talk about it over dinner that night.
43:13 On the way there, we passed by a photography studio.
43:17 I couldn’t believe how lavish and showy some weddings are.
43:21 It looked more like an excuse to party
43:24 instead of something that’s supposed to honor God.
43:28 It reminded me of the book of Galatians:
43:30 “Now the works of the flesh are . . .
43:32 drunkenness, wild parties, and things like these.”
43:36 We didn’t want to do anything like that.
43:40 We each took the time to prayerfully consider
43:42 the material the brothers gave us.
43:45 We saw that Scriptural principles can even help us plan a wedding
43:49 that’s affordable, enjoyable for everyone,
43:53 and a day that honors Jehovah.
43:57 It looked like we needed to make some adjustments.
44:00 We couldn’t include everything we originally thought
44:03 —some things were just too expensive.
44:07 And we wanted to make sure that none of our choices
44:09 reflected the spirit of the world.
44:14 So we decided to start over
44:17 and make sure we were doing things Jehovah’s way.
44:20 First Timothy 2:9 says that a Christian
44:24 “should adorn themselves in appropriate [or “respectable”] dress,
44:29 with modesty and soundness of mind.”
44:32 It took some work,
44:34 but we were able to find something affordable,
44:38 appropriate,
44:40 and beautiful.
44:45 I was able to find a nice suit
44:48 —something I could even wear later.
44:51 And of course, the girls came by
44:54 to make sure that everything matched.
44:58 Time went by so fast.
45:01 I called Brother Sharp so he could help us follow through
45:03 on the day of the wedding.
45:08 Before we knew it, we were sending out invitations
45:11 and finalizing all the details.
45:16 When my dad walked me down the aisle that day,
45:20 I was so excited.
45:22 Juliana was so beautiful!
45:26 And the ceremony was just perfect.
45:35 After all that planning we did, we were sure to make it legal.
45:41 When looking back at our photos,
45:43 it brings back so many good memories.
45:46 I was so happy with how nice everything turned out.
45:51 And when we saw what a great job our friends had done
45:53 decorating the reception, I couldn’t believe my eyes.
45:57 It was perfect —simple,
46:00 dignified.
46:03 Our friends all told us that it was one of the nicest weddings they’ve been to.
46:07 Everything that day was just what we wanted.
46:10 It even stayed on budget.
46:14 And most importantly, we got our marriage off to a good start
46:17 with Jehovah’s help.
46:21 I’m so happy we found each other.
46:23 I’m so happy I found you too, Love.
46:27 And I know we’ll stay happy if we keep Jehovah first.
46:35 The couple’s ability to reason on Scriptural principles
46:38 helped them to make the right decisions.
46:42 Good reasoning ability is an essential quality of a true Christian.
46:46 But what does it really mean to reason on matters?
46:51 This morning worship program by Gary Breaux will show us.
46:57 If you’d open your Bibles to Romans 12:1,
47:01 we’ll note that the apostle Paul,
47:04 as has been commented on,
47:06 talks about reasoning on matters.
47:10 That’s Romans 12:1, it says:
47:14 “Therefore, I appeal to you by the compassions of God, brothers,
47:17 “to present your bodies as a living sacrifice,
47:21 “holy and acceptable to God,
47:23 a sacred service with your power of reason.”
47:29 Ah, so Paul says reasoning has power to it.
47:34 A synonym for power is influence.
47:39 And so if you reason something out,
47:42 you’ll be influenced to make the proper decision, basically.
47:46 Now, he also introduced something else in our text today.
47:50 Let’s go there.
47:51 It’s 2 Thessalonians chapter 2,
47:54 and we’ll read verses 1 and 2:
48:00 “However, brothers,
48:02 “concerning the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ
48:05 “and our being gathered together to him,
48:07 “we ask you not to be quickly shaken from your reason
48:12 “nor to be alarmed either by an inspired statement
48:17 “or by a spoken message or by a letter appearing to be from us,
48:22 to the effect that the day of Jehovah is here.”
48:27 So he introduces this aspect
48:31 of being quickly shaken
48:34 once you come to a conclusion on a matter
48:38 after reasoning it out.
48:40 Now, he says don’t be quickly shaken
48:43 once you come to a conclusion of the matter
48:46 as a result of reasoning the matter out.
48:49 And that’s what he was telling the Thessalonica congregation here.
48:53 In the first letter, he had talked about and warned them
48:56 that Jehovah’s day was imminent and that it was coming,
49:01 and as a result, some in the congregation went beyond that,
49:04 saying that it was here.
49:06 In fact, as verse 2 says,
49:08 there apparently was even a letter that appeared to be from Paul
49:13 and saying that it’s not that it’s coming
49:17 —Jehovah’s day is here.
49:20 And so some got sidetracked
49:24 as a result of not thinking it through,
49:27 and their faith was shaken, apparently.
49:29 And then as you continue,
49:32 Paul then helped them to reason further that no,
49:36 there are other things that have to happen before Jehovah’s day.
49:42 So we’d like to talk about this matter
49:44 of quickly being shaken —that is our faith.
49:49 It’s important because we spend years
49:54 developing a relationship with Jehovah God
49:56 and developing a solid faith,
49:59 and just this idea that Paul introduces
50:01 that one’s faith can be quickly shaken
50:04 is a rather disconcerting thought.
50:09 It can happen to any of us, really.
50:11 I just think about Judas Iscariot, right?
50:13 John 6:64 says that from the beginning Jesus knew
50:18 who was the one who would betray him —from the beginning.
50:21 From the beginning of what?
50:23 The Insight book says:
50:24 “‘From the beginning’ of when Judas started to go bad,
50:27 started to give in to imperfection and sinful inclinations.”
50:32 Well, how long did that process take?
50:34 Well, it was less than a year from the time he was appointed as an apostle.
50:38 Now, we know his appointment was no mistake.
50:43 So within that short period of time,
50:46 this man went from an apostle to an apostate.
50:51 That’s why it’s such good counsel that Paul gave
50:55 for us not to be quickly shaken
50:59 from matters that we have established as a result of good reasoning.
51:05 Now, there are times that we’re more susceptible
51:09 to our faith being quickly shaken than others.
51:13 And I’d like to talk about that for just a moment.
51:16 What could some of those times be?
51:19 Well, it could be when we’re going through stress,
51:24 depression, or anxiety.
51:28 The March 1, 2010, Watchtower, makes this comment:
51:32 “Judgment may be clouded
51:35 when one is under great emotional stress.”
51:39 Now let me give you an example
51:42 —hypothetical, but here’s an example—
51:45 a brother has a deep relationship with his parents;
51:49 his mother suddenly dies.
51:52 This is a great emotional blow to him;
51:56 he slips into a mild depression,
52:01 and as a result, his personal study
52:05 and his spiritual activities slow down.
52:09 Then a short time later, a sibling is disfellowshipped.
52:15 This crushes him; he can’t sleep.
52:19 He wakes up; he gets to the computer;
52:24 he turns it on,
52:26 and he slips into watching something inappropriate.
52:31 Now, what’s just happened?
52:33 Well, his good reasoning ability was shaken.
52:37 It’s of note that the November 15, 1992, Watchtower,
52:41 puts it this way:
52:43 “Severe and prolonged mental depression
52:47 “may have worn away
52:49 “some of the person’s normally strong emotional fiber
52:53 or may have made it extremely difficult to make wise decisions.”
52:57 So, what could the brother have done?
53:00 Well, when he first recognized this mild depression
53:04 or slipping from the spiritual activities,
53:08 it would have been good for him to get someone to help him identify the cause.
53:13 Now, what is another circumstance
53:16 that could quickly shake our faith
53:21 if we’re not on guard?
53:23 Well, it has to do with the apostates.
53:28 Now, there is something that the apostates are talking about
53:33 and trying to put forward.
53:35 The media has picked it up; others have also picked it up.
53:40 And that is our Scriptural position
53:42 of having a two-witnesses requirement
53:45 for judicial action if there is no confession.
53:48 Now, if you open your Bibles to Deuteronomy 19:15,
53:51 our good reasoning is pretty solid on this.
53:54 At Deuteronomy 19:15,
53:57 the scripture is very, very clear.
54:02 It says: “No single witness may convict another
54:06 “for any error or any sin that he may commit.
54:09 “On the testimony of two witnesses
54:11 “or on the testimony of three witnesses
54:14 the matter should be established.”
54:16 It’s very clear, isn’t it?
54:17 You cannot establish a judicial committee based on one witness.
54:22 But now, listen, here’s what they say:
54:25 “Well now, look, the Old Testament
54:27 “also says that adulteresses should be stoned.
54:32 “Now, since you’re not doing that,
54:35 why do you stick to this two-witness rule?”
54:41 You see, if you’re not careful, that can do some tricks on your mind
54:45 because you have to think it through.
54:48 Well, how might we do that?
54:50 Well, we go to Matthew 18:16
54:53 because obviously Christ Jesus
54:56 established the Christian arrangement,
54:58 and notice what he said.
55:00 Matthew 18:16, he says:
55:04 “But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two more,
55:08 “so that on the testimony of two or three witnesses
55:12 every matter may be established.”
55:15 So Christ Jesus establishes the fact that there has to be two witnesses.
55:20 Now, it doesn’t mean that if there is only one witness
55:23 that there are no consequences.
55:25 There might be, depending upon the situation,
55:28 but the Scriptures are very clear.
55:31 Before a judicial committee can be convened,
55:34 there has to be a confession or two witnesses,
55:38 so we will never change
55:41 our Scriptural position on that subject.
55:45 Jehovah has given us the ability to reason things out, to think it through.
55:50 So let’s do our part
55:52 and not allow our faith to be quickly shaken.
55:55 Then we can have the confidence that Paul spoke of
55:59 at 2 Thessalonians 3:5 when he said:
56:02 “May the Lord continue to guide your hearts successfully
56:05 to the love of God and to the endurance for the Christ.”
56:10 Even when difficult circumstances arise,
56:13 such as judicial matters,
56:15 we cling to our accurate understanding of the Bible.
56:19 Yes, Jehovah is the God of truth.
56:24 And our desire for accurate knowledge
56:27 motivates us to draw ever closer to Jehovah
56:31 and to learn more about his perfect qualities.
56:34 Just think of everything we can learn about him
56:38 when we take the time to study his works of creation.
56:42 Psalm 104:24 reads:
56:46 “How many your works are, O Jehovah!
56:50 “You have made all of them in wisdom.
56:52 The earth is full of what you have made.”
56:57 In harmony with that, our music video for this month
57:00 is entitled Inspired by Your Wonders.
57:05 I hear the birds singing out to the sunrise.
57:13 I see the stars fading away in the morning light.
57:24 Golden sun shines on down through the treetops,
57:32 Where there is a summer breeze that whispers so soft.
57:41 And I sing, “O Jah, Jehovah my God,
57:45 The work of your hands fills us with awe.”
57:50 I stare at the stars, Wondering how you care who we are.
58:01 I see your wonders, and I sing to you.
58:11 I see your wonders, and I sing to you.
58:19 I sing to you.
58:27 These wondrous, moving, breathing creations—
58:34 Oh, in the night, in the day— can you hear what they say?
58:46 From mountaintops to the bottoms of oceans,
58:53 Let ev’ry living thing sing out to your praise.
59:03 And I sing, “O Jah, Jehovah my God,
59:07 The work of your hands fills us with awe.”
59:12 I stare at the stars, Wondering how you care who we are.
59:21 I see your wonders, and I sing to you.
59:32 I see your wonders, and I sing to you.
59:41 I sing to you.
59:45 Looking past what we can see with our eyes,
59:54 We will come to know more about the One who gave us life.
1:00:05 And I sing, “O Jah, Jehovah my God,
1:00:10 The work of your hands fills us with awe.”
1:00:14 I stare at the stars, Wondering how you care who we are.
1:00:25 I see your wonders, and I sing to you.
1:00:33 I see your wonders, and I sing to you.
1:00:43 I see your wonders, and I—I sing to you.
1:00:54 I see your wonders, and I—I sing to you.
1:01:03 I see your wonders, and I—I sing to you.
1:01:12 I sing to you.
1:01:17 When we take time to reflect on the beauties of creation,
1:01:21 it becomes clear that there is a higher intelligence
1:01:25 who made all these things.
1:01:28 Well, David, it’s hard to imagine
1:01:30 that we’ve already come to the end of another monthly broadcast.
1:01:34 And, Jim, I want to thank you very much for all your help with this program.
1:01:37 I really, really appreciate it.
1:01:40 Now, before we conclude,
1:01:42 we’d like to visit the city of Cuzco in Peru,
1:01:45 where we have a Remote Translation Office, or RTO.
1:01:50 The city of Cuzco is a stopover for travelers to Machu Picchu,
1:01:55 a historic sanctuary of the former Inca Empire,
1:01:59 located high up in the mountains.
1:02:02 Machu Picchu is an architectural marvel.
1:02:06 The design is earthquake resistant.
1:02:09 Giant stones were cut so precisely
1:02:12 that in many places a piece of paper
1:02:15 cannot fit in between them.
1:02:18 At such high altitudes, you can also see llamas,
1:02:21 which are raised in the Andes Mountains.
1:02:24 The Inca people spoke Quechua,
1:02:27 a language that is spoken
1:02:29 by millions of Peruvians today.
1:02:32 There has been a translation office in Cuzco
1:02:35 since 2004,
1:02:37 but as the work grew,
1:02:39 so did the need for more office space.
1:02:41 So in 2016, a new RTO was dedicated.
1:02:46 The blessings of the translation work have been evident.
1:02:50 Since the Bible Teach book was released in Quechua in 2007,
1:02:55 the number of publishers increased
1:02:57 from about 700
1:03:00 to nearly 1,700 last year.
1:03:04 In addition to The Watchtower
1:03:06 and the Life and Ministry Meeting Workbook,
1:03:08 videos are translated at this office,
1:03:11 ranging from JW Broadcasting monthly programs
1:03:15 to episodes of Become Jehovah’s Friend.
1:03:19 There are several regions in Peru where Quechua is spoken,
1:03:23 all with slightly different dialects and expressions.
1:03:27 Hence, each translation team
1:03:30 has representatives from these areas
1:03:33 in order to ensure that the translation
1:03:36 is universally understood
1:03:38 among Quechua speakers.
1:03:40 Approximately 40 brothers and sisters work at the RTO,
1:03:45 of which 15 are full-time.
1:03:48 In the Cuzco area,
1:03:50 there are 28 congregations and 38 groups,
1:03:54 with about 2,000 publishers.
1:03:58 We love our brothers and sisters in Cuzco very much indeed.
1:04:02 And they want you to know
1:04:03 how much they love you.
1:04:05 Well, until next time,
1:04:07 this is JW Broadcasting
1:04:10 from the world headquarters of Jehovah’s Witnesses.
