Chris: Yes, I do. In fact, I found it to be full of so many interesting quotations that I decided to go down to the library to locate some of the source material. Maybe you can help me, John. I’d like to run a few things by you that I discovered concerning this magazine.
John: Go ahead.
Chris: On page 4 of the Trinity booklet, it says that “The Encyclopedia Americana notes that the doctrine of the Trinity is considered to be ‘beyond the grasp of human reason”.
John: And it really is, Chris. I mean, who can comprehend a three- headed god?
Chris: I’d like you to take a look at this photocopy of the actual page from where the Watchtower quoted volume 27 of The Encyclopedia Americana. I’d like you to read this quote in the context of the original article. It’s right here on page 116.
John: Okay. It says, “It is held that although the doctrine is beyond the grasp of human reason, it is, like many of the formulations of physical science, not contrary to reason, and may be apprehended (though it may not be comprehended) by the human mind”. (underline ours)
Chris: Did you see that, John? It said that the doctrine of the Trinity is “....not contrary to reason and may be apprehended....by the human mind”. John, after reading the full statement from the encyclopedia, has the Watchtower quoted this article in context?
John: Well, sure. The Watchtower did use the exact words right from the article.
Chris: Yes, but has the Watchtower left out words that change the author’s viewpoint?
John: Chris, there are a hundred quotes in this magazine that prove the Trinity is false. Why are you making a fuss over this one? Didn’t you look at any others?
Chris: As a matter of fact, I did. On page 6 of the Trinity booklet it says, “Jesuit Fortman states: ‘The New Testament writers. . . give us no formal or formulated doctrine of the Trinity, no explicit teaching that in one God there are three co-equal divine persons...”. Here is a photocopy of the introduction of The Triune God, 1972, where this quote was taken from. The Watchtower quotes four words from page 15; “The New Testament writers”. They then pick up the next sentence of the quote from page 16. But read some of the highlighted text that falls between the two quotes.
John: “They call Jesus the Son of God. Messiah. Lord. Savior, Word. Wisdom. They assign Him the divine functions of creation, salvation, judgment. Sometimes they call Him God explicitly. They do not speak as fully and clearly of the Holy Spirit as they do of the Son, but at times they coordinate Him with the Father and the Son and put Him on a level with them as far as divinity and personality are concerned. (underline ours)
See how tricky and selective the Watchtower Society is with their quotes? Do not be fooled by their shenanigans.
