Are Jw's spiritually or physically minded people?

Honesty

Since 99.9% of all JW's do not claim to have the Holy Spirit within them in what ways can they be spiritual people?

A examination of 1 Cor 2:10-15 raises some questions about JWism:

1 Cor 2:10-15 Now God has revealed them to us by the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the deep things of God. For who among men knows the concerns of a man except the spirit of the man that is in him? In the same way, no one knows the concerns of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, in order to know what has been freely given to us by God. We also speak these things, not in words taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit, explaining spiritual things to spiritual people. But the natural man does not welcome what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to know it since it is evaluated spiritually. The spiritual person, however, can evaluate everything, yet he himself cannot be evaluated by anyone.

1. Why does the WTBTS refer to itself as Jehovah's visible organisation in many of its publications?

2. How often do JW's mention heaven compared with how often they mention the paradise?

3. When a JW speaks about spiritual things why is it almost always related to paradise on earth where everyone will get to play with the animals, learn things about the natural earth such as traveling the globe and taking eons to do it, discovering and understanding marine life (I know of several elders who want to build an underwater city?) instead of what they will be learning about Jesus?

4. Does most of what the WTS says remind you of spiritual or physical things?

LittleToe

Definitely physical. All their dreams centre around life on earth, perfect health (see also the prevalence of alternative therapies), log cabins and petting lions

That is when they can think about it amidst knocking on doors and placing magazines, between trips to the coffee shop. They basically do what they are told because some faceless authors of a magazine tell them to do stuff.

I'd love to see a current JW define "spirituality", without falling back on taking about preaching, abstaining from blood, and using the name Jehovah!

A Paduan

My opinion - they understand, act, believe and live according to what is physical - a spiritual life according to the physical world - to live according to the flesh

Satanus

Physical, definitely. As you pointed out, they don't even claim to have god's spirit. They have a physical org, w physical men telling them what to do, w physical instructions printed on physical paper, w physical sound coming from speakers, etc, etc. To spiritually tending people, all other things are variable, ie, morals are not definite, doctrines are not definite, reality is not definite (ok, most of it is, but not all). Some of the words purporting to come from jesus dip into this a little bit.

Also, the guys running it, who claim to be filled to the brim w god's spirit don;t have it, iether. If they did, they wouldn't be control freaks, concerned w controling the lives of millions of people. They would be interested in their freedom, instead. Krishnamurti is a good example of a spiritual minded person. He was taught and groomed by theosophist alice bailey to run the theosophy org. When he was grown up and put in charge of it, he renounced his position and dissolved the org. 'Course, the org continued, anyway, but, without it's 'head'.

S

serendipity

I think one treads on dangerous ground claiming that Holy Spirit is not in JWs (or Catholics or Baptists or....), possibly blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5 defines a spiritual person and there are JWs who are striving to be spiritual people.

13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature [ a ] ; rather, serve one another in love. 14 The entire law is summed up in a single command: "Love your neighbor as yourself." [ b ] 15 If you keep on biting and devouring each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

16 So I say, live by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature. 17 For the sinful nature desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the sinful nature. They are in conflict with each other, so that you do not do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under law.

19 The acts of the sinful nature are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; 20 idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions 21 and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. 25 Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. 26 Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.

Satanus

Quothe serendip, who thinks that there is nothing wrong w twisting boys around her little finger through the use of their boy hormones.

S

Honesty

I think one treads on dangerous ground claiming that Holy Spirit is not in JWs (or Catholics or Baptists or....), possibly blaspheming the Holy Spirit.

The elders kept telling me that the Holy Spirit was not a person and could not be in a person. After researching their literature I could see that it is a major WT doctrine. After researching the Bible I could see that their doctrine is false. That is one of the many reasons I'm no longer one of Jehovah's Witnesses. Talk to a 'non-annointed' JW who says the Holy Spirit is within them and you are talking with a candidate for a conference with 3 elders.

greendawn

That's a good point Honesty, a JW can be severely sanctioned for claiming he has the Holy Spirit and through it the adoption by the Father, and for calling Jesus Lord. The R&F were shut out of the New Covenent.

serendipity

Quothe serendip, who thinks that there is nothing wrong w twisting boys around her little finger through the use of their boy hormones.

Hi Satanus, trying to give me a reputation? If so, for the record, I prefer men, not boys.

Satanus

Quothe serendip, who thinks that there is nothing wrong w twisting men around her little finger through the use of their man hormones.

It's the same thing. It's based on what you said about yourself.

S

Are Jw's spiritually or physically minded people?

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