As a JW how do/did you feel about 6 billion people being destroyed? (page 2)

unclebruce

During the fervour whipped up in the years leading up to the 1975™ fiasco GOD's official news magazine the Watchtower™ continually emphasised™ to those of us enrolled in the Jehovah's Witness™ indoctrination program that we were a vital part of 'the sifting of the wheat™' and 'separation of the sheep and goats™'. We were to have no doubt whatever that we were 'touch stones™' used by angels who floated along side us in the 'door to door work™'.

We were told in no uncertain terms that the angels couldn't literally speak with householders™, that was our job but they would be there taking note of how we were received, whether householders were naughty or nice. (any resemblance to spies of Santa is purely coincidental.)

The funny thing is that after many years of witnessing™ I very rarely met anyone who I would regard as basically not nice.

"The judgement and separation work by Jesus was proof of his presence since 1914." Reasoning from the Scriptures™ 1989 p. 344.

"The time came when angels also got involved in the separation work ." Watchtower™ 1992 June 15 p. 20

"Separation of sheep and goats is a glorious fulfilment of the prophecy of Matthew 25:31-33." Watchtower™ 1993 January 1 p. 19.

Imagine my shock at finding out that in the Watchtower of October 15 1995 an amazing turnabout took place. Since 1923 the Watchtower Society taught that the separation of the sheep and the goats, described in Matthew by Jesus, began in 1914. Now they say it is future .

"Understanding the parable of the sheep and goats in this way indicates that the rendering of judgement on the sheep and the goats is future. It will take place after "the tribulation… " Watchtower™ October 15 1995: p. 23.

an annoyed unclebruce who didn't appreciate being jerked around by loonies.

deeskis

It confused and upset me as a child growing up a jw. It did not become any easier to understand as i got older either.

jwfacts

Highlander, it is interesting that you say at 10 you felt it was wrong. I have used that reasoning on my 13yo step daughter very effectively. She knows that her worldly school friends are as loving as her JW ones, and is constantly offended by the hypocrisy of some of the JW kids. I simply ask her 'You know the Watchtower says that God will soon kill your friends, do that sound fair?' She knows it is all fake.
When people were asking why I had stopped going to meetings I often would say that I did not believe only JWs would be saved, that it was a shocking teaching that I did not want to be part of. I was surprised that most JWs said they don't believe that, and like Leolaia said, secretly reason that God will judge individuals based on heart condition at the end regardless of religious affiliation.
The official teaching is it is very certain:
"Only Jehovah’s Witnesses, those of the anointed remnant and the “great crowd,” as a united organization under the protection of the Supreme Organizer, have any Scriptural hope of surviving the impending end of this doomed system dominated by Satan the Devil.” Watchtower 1989 September 1 p.19

Clam

I had a hard time understanding why a Loving God™ would want to destroy good, decent Worldly People™ that I knew, when our congregation was full of spiteful, rotten, dickhead JWs.

LOL, Scully so often says exactly what I wanted to post. Summed up beautifully and eloquently.

scout575

What helped me to cope with this Bible teaching is that Armageddon is said to come about as a result of the attack of 'Gog', and the 'king of the north' against God's people ( Eze 38:18-23; Dan 11:44,45 ). The Bible presents God as destroying the 'wicked' at Armageddon because of their attempt to wipe out his people. This 'reassuring' thought helped me a bit to come to terms with the prospect of the violent destruction of billions of people, although I did worry about all the nice old ladies that I knew, who would probably be hiding in their bungalows during the attack of Gog, rather than being out on the streets trying to duff up JWs, and yet they were still in line for 'the chop'.

It does have to be borne in mind that the Armageddon teaching is not the invention of JWs but comes straight from the pages of the Bible ( as does the disfellowshipping and shunning policy - 1 Cor 5:11 ). Being firm believers that the Bible is from God, JWs take the view ( as I did ) that God must know best, and that his destruction of the 'wicked' must be right. Even if the view is taken that it won't just be non-JWs who will be destroyed at Armageddon, but that it includes all people who don't practice Christianity, that would still mean that billions of people are in line for destruction at Armageddon. 1 Thess 1:7-9 says that: "The Lord Jesus Christ shall be revealed from from heaven...in flaming fire taking vengeance on them that know not God, and that obey not the gospel...who shall be punished with everlasting destruction." Clearly, the Bible portrays Jesus as bringing violent destruction on all non-Christians, all who 'obey not the gospel'. Is it any wonder that a staunchly Bible believing group like JWs preach the destruction of the 'wicked'? How sad that they feel they have to believe this breathtakingly, barbaric Bible teaching.

greendawn

This is one issue that got me questioning the JWs killing children in armageddon could not be right though the JWs would readily point to old testament stories where children were swept aaway with their parents, but that was a different world in the New Testament world that can't happen.

And what about the billions of ppl not reached and evengelised by the JWs (as if they were fit to evangelise anyone) oh but the WTS warned their governments and that was enough.That's biased and ugly though, why not give them a chance as in the more democratic world?

Someone is hysterical about seeing the end of the world soon.That is selfish.

Clam

Good stuff scout and true enough, but they know he's "got form". I'm sure plenty of innocent people died in the Flood and at Sodom and Gommorah. It just happens to be bigger numbers in the Big A.

Dr Jekyll

Looks like we were all revolted by the idea but then again none of us are "In" so obviously our brainwashing was a bit dodgy. I wonder what the answer to this would be if you were to question active dubs, *Honest* active dubs. Would they find it as revolting as us ?

unclebruce

Looks like we were all revolted by the idea but then again none of us are "In" so obviously our brainwashing was a bit dodgy.

ROTFLMDBOff! you're gonna kill me doc!

Honesty

I had a hard time understanding why a Loving God™ would want to destroy good, decent Worldly People™ that I knew, when our congregation was full of spiteful, rotten, dickhead JWs. Scully

As a JW how do/did you feel about 6 billion people being destroyed?

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