Active JWs—Do JWs actually carry a "life saving" message?

by AuldSoul 22 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

• 

  Sunspot

  Along with "Clam's" insightful comment, we have to take into consideration ALL the changes in doctrine and behavior that has been seen since the 1950's!

  Up until the 70's, we saw a "kinder and gentler" WTS with not nearly as many demands and orders made for the JWs to follow like mindless robots. There WAS an influx in membership, and the promise of a "Paradise Earth" in a few months....was a strong drawing card. It was in the mid 1970's as I recall, when the stringent "rulez and regz" began to emerge, right down to this day...

  ...when JWs are told that they cannot leave the arena where a convention is being held to go out to get lunch, how many guests they can invite to a get-together in their own home, that an ELDER should be invited to keep everything going ON there on the "up and up", and the hateful way that JWs are to treat any of those that leave the WTS....."just for starters".

  The WTS is shooting itself in the foot by issuing all these "rulez from God"...especially in this time period when personal freedoms are becoming more and more prominent and people are becoming more and more tolerant of the differences IN others.

  The WTS "invitation" is more like the biblical "sackcloth and ashes" and their "worship" at the "meetings" is now 50% learning WTS sales pitches and how to gain converts for them....and NOT praising their Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ----or in teaching that THEIR humble JW knees should be bent in love and appreciation in HIS name and that HE died for ALL mankind. The WTS does a good job in overlooking this.

  Most folks are turned off at all the WTS preaches and teaches....as well it should be.

  Annie
• 

  Clam

  They deserve to die just like in Noah's day doncha know. Here's a gray bearded old man tellin people it's gonna rain ( a term or event they never heard of before) yet they were expected to listen to him as he trepassed on their property tellin this gloomy message. Hell, I woulda listened to the guy.......wouldn't you? Sheesh!

  Gumbnuts - I don't reckon Noah would've done too thorough a job personally. Look who he took on his boat. Sheer nepotism. There's no way everyone would've got the message. Were the Nephilim entitled to a chance? It wasn't their fault that a prevert angel slept with their Moms. No put down Mr and Mrs Nephilim as a "not at home".

  I personally think that Jehovah will give loads of people the benefit of the doubt at Armageddon, and then have a proper final cull at the end of the thousand years. After all there's plenty of bad Dubs, like those ones that go looking for their post apocalyse dream home when they should be giving out vital tracts on FS.
• 

  BCZAR2ME

  According to Ezekiel 3:17, the dogma is not that Jehovah will read the hearts of those who do not hear the message. They are goners too!

  I have pointed this out many times when the subject comes up. Many in the borg believe Jehovah will read hearts and I cannot imagine they came up with this idea on their own. It is just not like them.

  Do you have references from WTBTS publications that state Jehovah will read their hearts and spare them at Armageddon? I would be interested.

  Please PM since these posts are difficult to find again.

  bczar
• 

  gumby

  Gumbnuts - I don't reckon Noah would've done too thorough a job personally. Look who he took on his boat. Sheer nepotism.

  Damn, yer right buddy! All the animals even had names, but poor Noah's wife nor his sons wives got an honerable mention to have their names even recorded........poor bastardetts. Ya think Noah messed with sheep and blammed it on Ham?....Hmmm

  Gumbeastality
• 

  under_believer

  AuldSoul, I'm going to throw in with BCZAR2ME on this--I'm not aware of any written doctrinal statements that imply that "Those who do not hear might be spared (if Jehovah so chooses)".
  
  There's a common, widespread belief among Witnesses of this, but the Society has not ever said that, and I don't believe it's truly a Witness teaching. Can you confirm?
• 

  gordon d

  Hey Auldsoul... Nice Thread!
  
  Perhaps this topic can find some application the next time a Dub knocks on the door.
  "Good morning brother, I'm glad you came by! Are you out sharing the 'Good News" this morning?"
  JW... probably answers yes in some way
  "Well I'm curious, I've always heard that term "Good News", what exactly is the Good News?"
  
  Have your scriptures ready and prepare to watch a JW with enough rope hang themselves.....
  
  My point is:
  There is no supportable "Good News" in the current field ministry work.
  The qualifications of someone receiving the Good News negate the WTS stance.... for example, The baptism practices and timeline of modern day Dubs against the Biblical examples of Cornelius the Centurion, The Jailer after Paul and Silas' release, The Etheopian eunuch... Apollos the Alexandrite.
  
  Hope this makes sense!!!!
• 

  BCZAR2ME

  The qualifications of someone receiving the Good News negate the WTS stance.... for example, The baptism practices and timeline of modern day Dubs against the Biblical examples of Cornelius the Centurion, The Jailer after Paul and Silas' release, The Etheopian eunuch... Apollos the Alexandrite.

  There was a time in the bible students/Jehovah's Witness history when anyone could get baptized whenever they were moved to do so. My mother was one such person. No questions to consider and had studied for about 6 months.

  The reasoning behind the quick baptizms in the first century is all they needed to do is put faith in Jesus. Acts 10:43

  The trouble started when 19th century baptized defectors started to question teachings or challenged the right to disfellowshiping. With so many differing Christian viewpoints the dubs want to be sure you have basic knowledge of the scriptures according to their beliefs. AND that you're affiliating yourself with an organization and its authority.

  bczar
• 

  AuldSoul

  BCZAR2ME,

  IMO, the trouble started when a man named CT Russell started believing he had "The Truth".

  When he called for preachers in 1879 it was for the purpose of proclaiming unquestionably false prophecy to all mankind. That habit of proudly proclaiming false prophecy to mankind throughout the earth remains an identifying mark of Jehovah's Witnesses.

  Matthew 7:15-20 — "Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them."

  While JWs emphasize the things they believe to be marks of "the true religion" they fail to recognize in themselves the mark of false prophets, prophecy that does not come true. Although Jesus was speaking to Jews, JWs even expand the list of fruitage born by these "false prophets" to things that do not actually identify false prophets and exclude from their list the one singular criteria by which any Jew would instantly know a false prophet.

  Deuteronomy 18:20-22 — "But the prophet, which shall presume to speak a word in my name, which I have not commanded him to speak, or that shall speak in the name of other gods, even that prophet shall die. And if thou say in thine heart, How shall we know the word which the LORD hath not spoken? When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that [is] the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, [but] the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him."

  Ultimately, this is the reasoning point that freed me completely from any desire to please JWs as a religion. I still desire to please a JW, but I am married to her, so...there you go...wouldn't be a very fun life for me if I didn't try to please her, eh?

  Respectfully,
  AuldSoul
• 

  MinisterAmos

  Keep this in mind as you go from door to door. If your religious dogma is correct, you are killing your neighbors.

  LOL You are one of the few people to have noticed this.

  Explain to to a JW just this simply and logically and their head will explode.
• 

  sf

  IMO, the trouble started when a man named CT Russell started believing he had "The Truth".

  Ah yes, and it COULD have been nipped in the bud, then.

  Yet, IMO, the trouble manifested when MERE 'OTHER' MEN started believing that Taze actually had ANY TRUTH.

  The trouble CONTINUES TODAY, with mere 'other' men KEEPING THE WATCHTOWER WHEELS WELL-LUBED by not tossing their jw masks and proclaiming that the WTBTS is a fraud and sham. Corrupt to its core. Then, and only then, can you truly claim victory in helping to stop feeding the Machine that kills its most innocent members, fosters hatred and destroys families.

  Auld,

  I'm a bit relieved to see you have at least considered where I was coming from a few weeks ago. If not, that's okay too.

  It would appear too, by this thread, that you have put the thought of going back, out of your mind. At the very least, you won't be knocking on any doors as an endorser. One would hope that you will perhaps knock with a different message for the "householder".

  Good day and happy trails in your journey to SHARE THE WEALTH OF INFO.

  sKally