Stoic wrote:
1) a) are not the JWs just Russelites with a name change.
Mad- NO. Russel was just one of a group forming who were realizing something "fishy" about church doctrine.
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b) are not the doctrines Pastor Russel espoused are at the core of the JWs (144000, the quiet second coming, 1914, ransom etc.)
Mad- "Espoused"? Yes, in that he saw that not all Christians were to rule with Christ (Heaven), and, looking into Greek, saw that the word "coming" was NOT "coming" but a "being Alongside, a Presence (sp?tired), and Ransom- I thought that was one of the few things we believe that the churches do; have I missed something there?
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c) i thought the JWs recognise him as a prophet
Mad- No, altho sometimes the WT writers get awful CLOSE to saying that!
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4) a) Was not the Devine Plan of the Ages published and republished after his death by the Watchtower, bible and tract society and considered (at least at the time) divinely inspired? Or at least inspired by spirits (possibly an angry drink like bourbon :) The light can get brighter but can it change colour. Do JWs now burn all their books before 1975 as apostate or can we still reference them? Which make me ask are you really sure you are not a russelite?
Mad- Maybe they used to think that- I don't know. Mormonitus? All I know is we don't NOW! Only the apostates seem to reference them; we well know how many erroneous beliefs we had then- why we still celebrated X-Mas! HooHooHoHoHa! So every once in a while there is a quote used from one of those books to show we were BEGINNING to understand many hidden (by churches) Bible truths. And, yes, I'm SURE I'm not a Russelite, a Watchtowerite, a GoverningBodyite, a Popeite, also!
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Admittedly there is no more organised door-to-door preaching work than the JWs. They truely are the Avon of Christianity....
Mad- wel at least you didn't compare us to Amway! By the way- except for a few Mormon kids on bikes- we are the ONLY ones preaching from door-to-door. Some churches TRY to get their laity to- - never works out!
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and both at least use to believe in pyramid schemes:)
Mad- Vicious, Stoic! I LIKE that!
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But does the bible specify that the Good News would be preached door-to-door and then the end will come? I would argue (guess) that mediums such as the christian TV channels reach more people.
Mad- Ouch! That's the absolutely POOREST arguement I've heard in a long time! I TRY to listen to the so-called "Christian" channels- but the sheer phoniness- and ESPECIALLY the horrible things they say is too much; it's worse than listening to a politician!
Jesus SAID the good news would be preached earthwide- then the End would come. (Matt 24:14) He trained all his followers to preach by going door to door- completely contrary to the world religions were they had their "churches" people came to!
Mad