Discussion with my parents about WTS

by GBSJG 39 Replies latest jw friends

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  serendipity

  
  Hi GBS,

  Welcome to the forum! You're very blessed that you can discuss this topic with your parents. You don't say how old your parents are, but if they are elderly and have invested their whole life in the org, it could be a catastrophic blow to them. There are some here who have chosen not to tell their elderly JW parents the truth about "the truth".

  What has started me to question things was the lack of love shown to my daughter and me, as a single parent and fatherless child in three different congregations. Also, the ridiculous amount of emphasis on the FDS bugs me. They have almost supplanted Jesus in focus. (Last year on the Memorial, the daily text was about the FDS, rather than Jesus.) Despite the claim that there was a first century Governing Body, there is little proof in the Greek Scriptures. There's supposedly even a tape available of Bro. Fred Franz giving a talk to Gilead school in the 70's stating that there was little proof of a governing body. Here's an interesting point made on this board: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/108182/1.ashx

  Another website you may find interesting is www.jwreform.org
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  GBSJG

  Thank you all for the suggestions.

  @bebu it's great to see all the things that are normally between the lines of the watchtower that are spelled out clearly in that court case.

  My parents are 50 years old and have been a JW for about 25 years. I think my parents have had doubts before because they already knew a lot of things that I brought up. Also because they say that their faith is not based on calculations with numbers and that they don't believe everything the FDS teaches.

  My parents have brought a lot of there family members into the JWs so I think it is hard for them to accept that it isn't the truth.
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  Leolaia

  You should show your parents this Awake! article:

  http://www.jwfiles.com/scans/images/AW10-8-68p23.gif

  (note the date of this article too). There are more scans like this here:

  http://www.jwfiles.com/outline.htm
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  Leolaia

  

  
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  bebu

  Thanks, Leolaia! Is that the microfiche you have, or the manuscript?
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  garybuss

  Once someone has changed your dirty diapers you can never be their teacher.
  
  
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  blondie

  My father used to be an elder so he knows what is considered apostate. I have also brought that up because I was suprised that they disagree with the WTS on some points. They said that as long as you believe the important doctrines and don't go talking about your doubts or alternative doctrines with others with the purpose to bring the WTS in a bad light it is not apostate or at least my parents don't consider it as begin apostate. They also said that they have discussed some other minor things with other JWs with who they feel they could talk about these things without undermining their faith in the WTS.

  Welcome to JWD.

  That might have been the case some years ago, but the WTS is much more strict now. A JW must accept "the full range of Christian teaching" or be considered apostate. There are several here on JWD that were DF'd or considered having DA'd themselves because of not accepting a "minor" or "alternative" doctrine.

  Here are some excerpts from a Question from the Readers in 1986 and a comment on Christian maturity.

  w71

  11/1 pp. 662-663 Christian Maturity—an Elusive Goal? ***

  ACCEPTING

  THE FULL RANGE OF CHRISTIAN TRUTH

  A major part of the process of spiritual growth to Christian adulthood, then, is progress in accepting the full range of Christian truth. Some Hebrew Christians of the first century failed to progress beyond the "elementary things of the sacred pronouncements of God" and so they were like those still on a ‘milk diet,’ not ready for the solid spiritual food that "belongs to mature people, to those who through use have their perceptive powers trained to distinguish both right and wrong." For this reason Paul wrote to them, exhorting them to "press on to maturity." How would they do this? How can we do this if we have not already done so?

  The apostle showed them they should not be like builders who never get beyond the foundation of the building, in this case the "foundation" being the elementary or primary doctrines about Christ. They should pass on to the ‘superstructure’ that rests on that foundation, namely, the more advanced teaching about God’s purpose revealed through his Son, teaching that is harder to be explained than the elementary teachings.

  There was urgent need to progress in this way, it was vital to do so. Why? Because they could not stand still indefinitely; eventually they must either progress or go backward. What would going backward mean? It would mean apostasy, a falling away from true faith, and that would bring destruction.—Heb. 5:11-6:8.

  Of course, their advancement in understanding of these more difficult doctrines would have to be accompanied by corresponding growth in their spiritual outlook and Christian personality. Head knowledge alone would not suffice. Those advanced truths should have an effect on their lives, even as the "elementary" teachings had already had.

  Today we have the complete inspired Word of God. Do we accept the full range of its teachings and are we sincerely endeavoring to live in harmony with them? Or do we pick and choose, as is the case with many today who are only nominal Christians? Such ones observe only what they want to observe but do not want to go all the way as to being disciples of God’s Son and they are therefore divided into Christendom’s many sects. Is that the case with us? Our answer to these questions will aid us to determine whether we have reached Christian maturity or not.

  w86

  4/1 p. 30 Questions From Readers ***

  ·

  Why have Jehovah’s Witnesses disfellowshipped (excommunicated) for apostasy some who still profess belief in God, the Bible, and Jesus Christ?

  Approved association with Jehovah’s Witnesses requires accepting the entire range of the true teachings of the Bible, including those Scriptural beliefs that are unique to Jehovah’s Witnesses.

  Do we have Scriptural precedent for taking such a strict position? Indeed we do! Paul wrote about some in his day: "Their word will spread like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of that number. These very men have deviated from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already occurred; and they are subverting the faith of some." (2 Timothy 2:17, 18; see also Matthew 18:6.) There is nothing to indicate that these men did not believe in God, in the Bible, in Jesus’ sacrifice. Yet, on this one basic point, what they were teaching as to the time of the resurrection, Paul rightly branded them as apostates, with whom faithful Christians would not fellowship.

  ***

  w02 7/15 p. 20 They Keep On Walking in the Truth ***

  JEHOVAH approves only of those worshiping him "with spirit and truth." (John 4:24) They obey the truth, accepting the entire body of Christian teachings based on God’s Word
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  lighthouse1956

  I reminded my mother of a conversation we had in 1963, just after she was baptised where she said:

  "If the Watchtower ever changes and you know they are no longer true, leave them, but don't leave God" I had almost forgotten about it. When she said the members of the kh she's at now are not very friendly to her, I had a great oppurtunity to remind her.

  I was realy surprised when she said "they have a lot to answer for' I told don't hold her breath.
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  GBSJG

  I finally got Crisis of Conscience. When it was delivered at my door I saw the CO in field service on the other side of my street... If only he knew.
  I'm having more and more problems with going to the meetings, because I don't believe it anymore. Last night the bookstudy was about angels. The conductor asked: Have anyone experienced how angels have helped them? You can imagine the answers that where giving and then I'm just sitting there and thinking how could I have every believed that. Answers like some JWs where not harmed by the Nazis or not discovered that must be work of an angel. And then I think what about the 2000 JWs that have died there where was the angel then?
  It always come down to that all the good things are the work of Jehovah or angels and all the bad things come from demons and Satan. If I think logical about it I just can't seem to believe that.
  Some others on this board have said that they left the Organization when they got a feeling during the meetings that they where different then all the other people there and now I get that same feeling.
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  garybuss

  "Jehovah sent good spirits, or righteous angels, to communicate with some humans before the Bible was completed. Since its completion, God?s Word has provided the guidance humans need to serve Jehovah acceptably. (2 Timothy 3:16, 17; Hebrews 1:1, 2) He does not bypass his holy Word by giving messages to mediums. All such present-day messages from the spirit world come from wicked spirits." (Knowledge chap. 12 p. 112)