Hi Wing,
Yes, you are correct saying that the Watchtower teaches the JWs that God only hears the prayers of JWs. Worse than that, God only hears the prayers of ""faithful"" JWs. So, if a JW commits a serious sin, before Jehovah hears them again, they must have met with the Elders to have Jehovah's spirit restored. This was the thinking when I was a JW and an Elder. I can recall after any number of JC meetings, one of the Elders would tell the JW "sinner" that his or her prayers will now be heard again. Even JWs in good standing, but whose prayers may not be perfectly sincere, and unselfishly seeking the interests of the Kingdom (buying and selling Watchtower publications), the preaching of the good news, the growth of the Society, etc., but are focused more on personal concerns and needs, may not be clearly heard or answered by the all-loving Jehovah of the Watchtower Society.
The Watchtower Society then turns around giving experiences in The Watchtower and Awake! magazines about non-JWs praying for help, or guidance, or an answer to their problems, when suddenly, as if by magic, the door bell rings! And of course, who is at the door? So, I suppose some exception was made for those "sheeplike-right-hearted-ones" who are crying and signing over the detestable things being done in Christendom, and who are seeking the King and His Kingdom, earnestly seeking to know the name of God ... even though we have no experiences in any Watchtower publication for 125-years of such people seeking any of these things! They were all troubled people who were facing personal tragedy in their lives, and were in a vulnerable state ... seeking normal things like relief, courage, guidance, etc. ... and infortunately, the JWs showed up before God did. Some Christians even argue that Satan sends the JWs to gather back the seed sown, so that they cannot receive God and Jesus and get life. I find all this magical thinking nothing other than speculative crapola ... we have no clue as to how God is responding to any prayer at such moments.
The book of Galations 5:7-10 says: [7] Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth? [8] This persuasion cometh not of him that calleth you. [9] A little leaven leaveneth the whole lump. [10] I have confidence in you through the Lord, that ye will be none otherwise minded: but he that troubleth you shall bear his judgment, whosoever he be. The Watchhtower Society are masters at convincing people that they are not in uion with the Truth (Christ) unless they go through Brooklyn. The Watchtower Society will receive its judgment from God. Romans 8:31-39 plainly states that once we are in God's love, no one can and no power in heaven or on earth can take us out of God's hand ... not even the Watchtower Society and its nonsense claims of being a religion.
We need to face it: The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society, and all of its corporations, do not represent God in any way, and are nothing more than a publishing company using religion as its theme topic, and the word "Jehovah" is its trademark ... they may as well be Wal-Mart or Amway. That is ALL the Society is ... a business ... nothing more and nothing less ... except that they are not a very nice business, because they really do not serve any real need or interest of society at large. At least normal businesses of our world provide needed and productive services and goods ... whereas the Watchtower Society does nothing more than waste tons of paper, killing tons of trees, to publish pure, unadultrated, bovine excrement!
Jim Whitney - who is otherwise having a great day and wishes the same for you too.
