True Christians neutral in War?
by Van Gogh 74 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Star Moore
According to Christianity Christ is a reality right now, and is in that view practised by partaking in him right now; the fruit of the spirit to be cultivated right now – not wait till the great trib.
I agree, I would hardly ever be for war...even in a much earlier time.. It would have to be a very, very justified war...but now....not at all...
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jwfacts
The following was cut off my other post.
Cornelius was an army officer when he converted and received the holy spirit despite his occupation.Christianity, to which Jehovah’s Witnesses owe their very existence, was preached at the end of the sword.
Good question Judas, how do we know what is bad? that is why there always will be war.
The WTS stance on war is not relevant reasoning due to the insignificant size of the Witness Organisation. Early Christians started to be involved in war once their numbers grew to such that they became a political force. The real reason a Witness does not get involved in war is the inconsequential number of adherents. If a country was 90% Jehovah’s Witnesses and another country started to invade it, the Witnesses would take up arms and fight back. The Society has given instructions that it is acceptable for a Witness to defend themselves. If an army systematically went from door to door murdering and raping entire cities of Witnesses, it would not take long for an army of Jehovah’s Witnesses to form. While they are only a small group, Witnesses are happy to make use of the protection afforded them by their countries armies. But if they were ever to become nations in themselves, border protection and politics would become as much and issue as for any other religion and as it was for the Israelites. A nation of Jehovah’s Witnesses would start to behave just as a nation of Protestants behaves when attacked by a nation of Muslims.
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Judas I.
Why would you have to force people to believe the truth? Wouldn't it be like common sense? Do you have to force people and threaten to kill them if they touch a hot stove? Doesn't add up to me.
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heathen
(Romans 13:1-4) 13 Let every soul be in subjection to the superior authorities, ... 4 for it is God’s minister to you for your good. But if you are doing what is bad, be in fear: for it is not without purpose that it bears the sword; for it is God’s minister, an avenger to express wrath upon the one practicing what is bad.
This is a whole other discussion . Clearly he couldn't be talking about the Roman barbarians that took delight in killing christ . They did not use the sword only for good because they also murdered thousands of christians for not worshipping ceasar . This scripture is some sort of fraud. IMO
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Judas I.
That is a very good point! Did God torture and kill Jesus using the romans to do so? Whoa!!!
I never thought about that!
you rock man!
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AuldSoul
Van Gogh,
It is about group of sincere peace loving individuals who through their actions could also be shunned or hated by society in general.
I would not characterize Jehovah's Witnesses as peace-loving simply because they are neutral (usually) in world affairs. I do not define peace or its lack on the edge of a blade labeled "War" on one side and "Peace" on the other.
The group to which you refer I have never encountered. Jehovah's Witnesses as a group are not individuals, they are an organization. I disagree that the organization loves peace. I agree that they neither seek nor foment war, but that is not the same as loving peace. Neutrality is neither in favor of nor opposed to war. And that is not the position peace-lovers would take, in my opinion.
Respectfully,
AuldSoul -
jwfacts
Good point Auld Soul,
JWs are not pacificts, they are neutral.
Though they do not go to war, neither do they help in preventing it. There are no WTS agencies set up to help the war afflicted, negotiate peace, feed the refugees or any other such positive measures.
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Judas I.
Perhaps they are waiting on Jesus to do it for them, or waiting for Him to kill'em all? So maybe they figure "why bother"?
Beats me...maybe I should ask my JW mom that tomorrow....
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proplog2
The ONLY redeeming value of Jehovah's Witnesses is that they follow the example of Jesus and claim citizenship in heaven and therefore will not actively engage in national killing sprees.
This forum with its perverted hatred of JW's is blind to that fact. Even JW's don't get it. Most of what Jehovah's Witnesses think is important like their arguments about holidays, the cross, blood transfusions are mostly sectarian games. The real deal is overcoming nationalism. The Bible is a story about transcending human selfishness. The selfishness of nations is an unecessary exaggeration of the selfishness that helped humans evolve in the first place.
The reason the Jewish zealots stoned Stephen is because he showed them how all the really important things in their history took place outside their beloved land and before it was their possession.
Nationalism is the greatest evil on earth. Even if we are destined to die because we are evolved animals - war robs us of our natural death. War makes widows and orphans. Traditionally a slave that follows the commands of his owner has a greater life expectancy than a soldier. A slave has value by surviving - a soldier will most certainly be killed - whoever lives by the sword dies by the sword.