Book Review:THE WATCHTOWER

"Having solved the question of 'how' to make a living, having surrounded ourselves with unthinkable luxuries-air conditioned comfort,CD quality sound,and fresh fruit year round-we are left to wonder 'why' we live.Why run this rat race?What's the point?"

-David G.Myers,professor of psychology at Hope College,Holland,Michigan,USA


Hurmm..How would u answer the questions raised by this professor??

According to the World Values Survey,one of the largest studies of human values ever conducted,a growing numb of people in many countries are thinking about "the meaning and the purpose of life".

So where can you find the reliable answers to these important questions??

1.Where did we come from?
2.What is the purpose of life?
3.What does the future hold?


I'm not gud in writing serious piece of entry coz i am much preferred a light and easy one.And asalnya takdela expect people wud come to visit my blog except for people who are close to me and knew my attitude camne..but uhhh..wutodo...kantoi..so sy akan berusaha!(a hint to someone ekceli)

So hari ni,saya akan buat something beyond my norm sket, ie di luar tabi'eku..kuikui!I'm gonna make a review on a Christian's magazine,THE WATCHTOWER.Tadaaaa..so this is the magz.Huh,dah hancur dapat kat cik intan. Untuk link ke websitenya pulak,boleh klik sini.

The Watchtower

This is the magazine that John gave me when I tried to promote him to attend IAW's activities.The purpose of the magazine is to honor Jehovah God,the supreme ruler of the universe,and shows the significance of the world events in the light of Bible prophecies.It promotes faith in Jesus Christ,who died so that "we" might gain everlasting life and who is now ruling as King's of God's Kingdom..hohoho..and furthermore,it comforts people with the good news that God's Kingdom ,which is a real government in heaven,will soon bring an end to all wickedness and transform the Earth into a paradise...and guess wut,this magazine has been published by Jehovah's witnesses ie Christian punye olang,continuously since 1879 and is nonpolitical..huuu,orang Islam camne??Kita kena kerja lagi kuat dari diorang k??Frankly speaking,I'm really impressed dengan usaha diorg nk "mentarbiyah" dan menarik orang untuk memahami ajaran Bible.Dalam magazine kecik ni,banyakla jugak dia cerita tentang gerakerja diorag untuk menyampaikan ajaran Christianity kepada masyarakat..

In 1999,a new building program was born.Kingdom Hall Construction Groups began to be formed throughout Mexico,which consist of about 8 volunteers both men and women working full time without charge.Each volunteer works 8 hours a day from Monday to Friday as well as Saturday.And the day starts at 7am with a discussion of Bible text,after the breakfast is served..ahaaa,diorang pun ada usrah and tadabbur kitab jugak tau!and I think their efforts nak bina places of worship and semangat kerjasama diorg ni are very impressive!!Kagum2~Semangat seperti inilah yang kita perlukan to unite all the Muslims across the globe and kembalikan Islam ke haknya..

I was also attracted to some articles in the magazine which questions about our purpose of life,and then provide evidence of what God has said in Bible about this.Saya juga agree with them that we are not mechanical machines,and we should have a clearly defined purpose in life..

The mag further clarifies that the Bible teaches that mankind is a direct creation of God.We are not the product of uncaring,mindless evolution..[NOTE:Darwinism theory should and must be refuted!!!visit Harun Yahya's website for further info on this theory]It also teaches that Jehovah God had a specific purpose for man and woman when He created them.

Genesis 1:28. "Be fruitful and become many and fill the earth and subdue it,and have in subjection the fish of the sea and the flying creatures of the heavens and every living creature that is moving upon the Earth"

Ecclesiastes 12:13. "The conclusion of the matter,everything have been heard,is:Fear the true God and keep his commandments.For this is the whole obligation of man".

Micah 6:8. "What is Jehovah asking back to from you but to exercise justice and to love kindness and be modest in walking with your God?"

Matthew 22:37-39. "You must love your Jehovah your God with your whole heart and with your whole soul and your whole mind.This is the greatest and first commandment.The second,like it,is this,'You must love your neighbour as yourself."

See?Banyak benda yang kita boleh belajar from diorang to understand them..

I try to compare the Bible teachings with al Quran teachings,the commandments given direct from Allah SWT or Jehovah,(as called by Christians) to prophet Muhamad SAW PBUH.CHRISTIANS and Muslims have one striking thing in common: they are both “people of the book”. And they both have an obligation to spread the Word—to get those Holy Books into the hands and hearts of as many people as they can. (The Jews, the third people of the book, do not feel quite the same obligation.) But for Muslim we believe that Allah gives His promise that Islam is the only true religion on Earth and the contents of the al Quran will not be change until the day of resurrection unlike the Bible and Taurat,which their authenticities are not guaranteed.

"and if you are in doubt concerning that which We reveal to Our slave(Muhammad),then produce a surah of the like of it.And call your witness besides Allah if you are truthful.And if you do it not-and you can never do it-then gurad yourselves against the fire prepared for disbelievers ,whose fuel is of men and stones."(2:23-24)

and yeah,if we tadabbur the Quran,our purpose of life is mentioned via these 2 verses..

"I created jin and humankind only that they might worship Me"(51:56)

"and when your Lord says to the angels:I am about to place a viceroy on the Earth,they said:will you in it one who will do harm in it and will shed blood,while we ,we hymn Your praise and sanctify You?He said:Surely I know that which you know not."(2:30)

Quoted from Sahih Al Bukhari:

Narrated Anas Radiallahuanh:The Prophet SAW said,"Whoever possesses the following 3(qualities) will have the sweetness(delight) of faith:

1.The one whom Allah SWT and His Messenger(Muhammad SAW) become dearer than anything else
2.Who loves a person and he loves him only for Allah's sake
3.Who hates to revert to atheism(disbelief) as he hates to be thrown into the fire."

These two religions both promote peace and good deeds,but there should be only one religion that is true and syumul for everybody.Fikir-fikir,dan renung-renungkan..and,what else should I say??...I love Prophet Jesus tooo...but it's because I'm a MUSLIM..

Narrated Muawiyah RA in a khutbah(religious talk):I heard Messenger SAW said ,"If Allah wants to do good to a person,He makes him comprehend the religion(the understanding of the Quran and the Sunna(legal ways of the Prophet SAW)."

So,let's not be afraid to learn what the Christians are thinking..instead of turning yourself away from them(some people are afraid that they might get influence,some are afraid because they are not able to answer things about religion effectively) ,why not befriend and mingle with them,and share what u know about Islam with them.U have lots of things to share,ain't u??But take note,do more of sharing rather than preaching..these two are different ways of making dakwah to people.


Rujukan:

1.Sahih Al Bukhari
2.Muhammad Marmaduke Pickthall(2004),The Meaning Of The Glorious Al Quran.
3.The Watchtower Annoucing Jehovah's Kingdom,Vol 129,No 3.

PS:Ana lupa la Harvard Referencing camne,lol..rembat ajela eh