to Atlantis: Jehovah is certainly more offended by people killing in his name than with imperfect humans mispronouncing his name. I don't expect a foreigner to use English as well as I can, so why would Jehovah expect any more of imperfect people. It just doesn't figure. Each language has its own unique set of sounds that define it. We don't speak Biblical Hebrew, nor does anyone else on the planet. Pronunciations and grammar (and the shape of alphabetic letters) has changed in Hebrew, as it has in English and every other language. Love changes with it respectfully. Jehovah is humble and does come down to our level in some ways when he addresses us.
Is practicing Capoeira wrong/bad/discouraged by Jehovah's Witnesses?
by aikichristian 78 Replies latest watchtower bible
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aikichristian
Firstly, I don't know where this thread went from "Capoeira" to the importance of Jehovah's name in just a few posts. The importance of Jehovah's name is not in question in this thread. Lets get back on track.
If you're a Catholic, and she's supposed to be a Jehovah's Witness, then Jehovah's name is very much involved. Both groups use Jehovah's name in their worship as so are accountable to Jehovah for how they use that name. One is not to mix true worship and false. Syncretism is forbidden in the Holy Scriptures, since Jehovah is a God exacting excusive devotion.
When the Watchtower gives a straight ruling, it stands. Jehovah wants a united people, after all.
If Jehovah's Witnesses are so worried about men learning about war, then why do they concern themselves with "spiritual battles", sin, and disharmony in the congregation?
Ephesians 6:12 gives a concise answer.
What 1 Tim 4:5 says is true, but it doesn't dismiss bodily training altogether nor does it discourage it. Martial-arts can be used for the glory of Jehovah in the following ways:
- the increased physical fitness improves one's health and ability to perform the work of Jehovah. For example, you can do more door-to-door ministry, carry more pamphlets, and not get as tired as you once were.
- the disclipine and perseverence necessary in martial arts can be applied to your spiritual growth, therefore making you a stronger and more durable believer. Also, at some point, you may be asked to teach newcomers teachniques they know nothing about. This can be applied to in evangelization...it improves your ability to teach!
- the self-defense skills will help you preserve your body from harm and even help defend your congregation members from attack as well. This will help you continue item #1.
- certain philosophies of martial arts are in-line with Bible teaching. The re-emphasis of such "good" things will only be of benefit.
- Understanding and experience with physical combat can aid in your spiritual struggles as well.
This is false reasoning because Jehovah can give His people the power beyond what is normal; they are His fellow-workers, after all, and do not need to be taught the dark side to overcome it. Sound thinking ability often avoids a confrontation. Preventation is better than cure, after all.
If you're a JW, and ever had block an attack, defend yourself, spank your kids, kick a dog, rough-house/horse-play, reenacted a scene from a martial arts movie, hit an object in frustration....then guess what?
you used a technique found in nearly all martial arts styles! And if you think spanking your kids is not a MA technique....look at a Kung-fu book and get back to me....its an open-handed strike.
Jehovah's Witnesses don't "have to" do anything; they have free will.
I agree that Jehovah wants a united people, that was never part of my question, nor part of this topic. Answer to Eph 6:12: Did it ever occur to you that principalities are composed of people, who are made of flesh and blood? Ephesians 6:12 is just warning us about focusing or limiting our struggle to just the flesh, because that is not the ultimate struggle. It still does not say that one shouldn't know how to protect their physical bodies as well. One's physical actions are very important in doing Jehovah's work, and protecting it and those of others is necessary in order to continue or fulfill said work. Additionally, one can only learn as a dichotomy (binary). You learn what is and what isn't (categorical). For example, how do you know what is a chair? Part of that knowledge of "chairs" stems from knowing what is not a chair as well. The same comes from knowing what is good and what is evil. You know what good is because you also know what isn't good. Same goes for evil. Unfortunately, we're stuck learning this way because Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit. In order to do and be good, it is necessary that you also know what is bad. Because if you don't know, then you're not accountable, and last time I checked, Jehovah likes accountable people. So, to make peace, you must know what war is [all about]. Answer to my "false reasoning": Jehovah can give people the power to do beyond the normal, but does he always and in every situation? When you stubbed your toe, it hurt right?...that seems pretty normal to me. Have you, or know anyone, who has been in a car accident, the victim of an attack, been injured/wronged, or any such thing? If so, then chances are they were being quite normal. The conclusion you drew from my statements regarding the benefits of martial arts for self-defense (and self-defense is permitted by Jehovah) is false. A presented a perfectly valid line of resoning and each statement is true. Both religiously and logically, I'm fine. You went outside the scope of my statement, which makes your answer quite weak if not totally null. Just because something is not necessary does not mean it is not beneficial. And if I defend myself physically, then couldn't it be possible that Jehovah gave me the power to do so? even against great odds? If so, then my reasoning is still valid and true. We are taught the dark side and the good side. We know of both because we, as imperfect people, do both. Try re-reading the Bible and you see it is full of the dynamics, criteria, limits, contexts, and examples of good AND evil. You can't prevent everything. Try thinking your way out when someone is choking the life out of you. What happened to all the "sound thinking" and prevention?......Martial arts to the rescue! Answer to my "have to": Don't mince words Fred. You know exactly what I meant. I know that everyone has Free Will. "Have to" was a figure of speech, just in case you didn't know.
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Fred E Hathaway
Hebrew was written without vowels and still often is. Names such as Jehoram and Isaiah have been preserved down to our day and are accepted as valid, so why not the name Jehovah.
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Fred E Hathaway
They are trained for self-defence, just not that way. They are taught to use forethought, and not provoke unnecessary attention. It is spiritual training they receive.
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Fred E Hathaway
http://jwinfo.8m.com/brochures/brochure%20Are%20JWs%20rational.doc A loving God would not kill people for not belonging to a certain group or religion.Do you want to be part of a group that teaches this?
Jehovah is Love, but He has killed people before for not respecting His warnings. It happened with the Deluge, with Sodom & Gomorrah, in 70 CE; and it will happen again soon, in fulfillment of aspects of 2 Thessalonians 1:6-10. I'd rather be preserved through the Great Tribulation than be destroyed. I'm a realist, after all.
http://jwinfo.8m.com/brochures/brochure%20are%20JWs%20loving.doc
Love's way does become clearer the longer one walks on it. If one's off of love's way, it's dark, and darker still if one has been on love's way and leaves it.
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Fred E Hathaway
If JWs fell flat on there faces here, they'd be bowing to creation, which they refuse to do. Only Jehovah deserves their worship.
As for creating trouble, that would make the person a dissident, which JWs are not. They are law-abiding people. Romans 13; 1 Timothy 5:1; 1 Corinthians 11:3; Hebrew 13:17; and Proverbs 4:18 are among the Scriptures that may apply.
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OUTLAW
akichristian..If you truley are a martial artist,why would you need to ask these questions?..Why would you discourage someone from one of the most respected fighting forms?..My best guess is,you know nothing about martial arts..Except..What you read,watch on TV or the Movies...OUTLAW
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OUTLAW
I forgot to add one thing more in my last post..Fred E.Hathaway..Your an Idiot!..Thats not an insult,just an observation..LOL!!...OUTLAW
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Fred E Hathaway
to jgnat:
Actually the contrast between the works of the flesh (earthly) and fruitage of the spirit (spiritual) is laid out nicely in Galatians, chapter 5. There is always a choice between earthly and spiritual desires. They are at war with each other. Often it is the motives that determine what the activity is, whether earthly or desires.
If someone is one of Jehovah's Witnesses, their dedication is to Jehovah, and not to an organization. Their obedience to WT counsel is relative to that dedication to Jehovah, who values all humans as precious and doesn't desire that any be destroyed but that all attain to repentance. Since all humans are sinners, we all must repent to merit Jehovah's favor. Self-sacrificing love distinguishes a true Christian.
Whether something is a sad truth or a liberating truth is a matter of perspective. A realist such as I am knows that sadness will be momentary compared to the happiness in knowing that I'm obeying Jehovah and doing His will.
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Fred E Hathaway
That would get you a Glasgow kiss, according to your own link. (For those of us unfamiliar with that expression, the Urban Dictionary online's entries refer to a headbutt, generally vicious, often leaving the object unconscious and/or with a broken nose.) That's not my style, though someone else might react that way. I stand loyal to my own knowledge of the Scriptures as a free agent.