My replies stopped because I was no longer in front of a computer. Anway, I'll try to address some questions.
How long have you been a JW?
A long time. I don't want to get into specifics. Suffice it to say - many years.
You notice that it's talking about IDOL SACRIFICES? That whole paragraph is related to things used and for idol worship.
What about the part about fornication? Couldn't this verse mean that eating blood is as morally wrong as idolatry or fornication? However, I do agree that the lack of such a prohibition in the 10 commandments and in Jesus words is puzzling. There certainly is room for the possiblity that this is being understood by JWs incorrectly. This scripture though, leaves room for the possiblity that such are wrong though. It all depends on how it's understood.
What Gives YOU ro THEM the right to say that LIVING and SAVING a life will DAMAGE a realtionship with GOD ??
God wants love, NOT SACRIFICE !
What about "To obey is better than a sacrifice?" - 1 Sam 15:22 If one disobeys God to save their life wouldn't this damage his relationship with God? Are you saying all the christans that chose to die instead of renounce their faith to the Romans died in vain? That it would have been okay to do so since life is more important? If Jehovah prohibts misuse of blood today, how is using it to save life any different?
Can you admit that the WTS was wrong about their predictions about the end of the world?
Yes I can admit that. It's obvious isn't it?
What does the Bible say about those who "best guess" prophecy? Let's look:
the Watchtower Society...didn't give 'best guess estimates'... they said, in God's name when to expect it.. and it didn't come in the time frame they said to expect it. So yes, that makes them liars.
Where does the WTS claim to be an inspired prophet? Please show me, otherwise how can they be a 'false prohet'? Nathan wrongly instructed David to build the house for Jehovah's worship. He was prophet, yet this false statement didn't make him guilty of being a false prophet.
JWs have an interest in the last days prophecies and present evidence that seems to show fulfillment of those prophecies. As regards saying that 1914 would be the end of this system, or 1975, or any other date. Yes they were wrong. The apostles were wrong in thinking Jesus would restore the Kingdom in their times. Jonah prophecied that Nineveh would be destroyed in forty days, yet that didn't happen. All these examples illustrate the humans can have wrong ideas about something. It doesn't make them false prophets or liars.
JWs have been keeping watchful. Matt 24:42 says "Keep on the watch, therefore, because you do not know on what day your Lord is comming." Having a strong desire to be watchful obviously has lead to warnings about what might happen at given dates when these dates seem to correlate to either biblical prohecy or biblical concepts (as in 6 days = 6000 years). This is what some of you are claiming makes them guilty of Lying? Lying implies purposeful deceit. Are you saying they are guilty of purposeful, not accidental, deceit? If so, on what basis?
John 6:48-58 (pay CLOSE attention to verses 50, 51, and 53, particularly the words "anyone"... and "Unless")
Your implying these verses are talking about the lords evening meal specifically. Yet, this wasn't established until about a year later. So doesn't this allow the possiblity that these words could be more general than lords-evening-meal-specific? The context shows he was talking about his flesh and blood being comparable to manna (I'd like to note there is no reference to wine by the way), but was greater because unlike manna that sustains one for a short time, his death makes everlasting life possible.
now has ever met who hasn't experienced aging and death.
Imagine a world where no one ages or dies.
That is true everyone experiences aging and death. But please tell me how these things add happiness to ones life. Don't we all want to live forever if that was possible?
Okay, the idea about reproduction being an issue is valid. But the bible says God will satisfy the desire of every living thing. So if intamacy and child rearing is desire, wouldn't you think he would satisfy that as the bible does not condemn such things in the proper context? What about the posibility of making those desires no longer be desires for people? There could be many different ways that those two things could be brought about that would allow for everlasting life. And if God makes a decision in the future that would be displeasing to us currently, who are we to say whether this is right or not? This is why my original question of hope is a big one for me and whether or not God exists. To me it seems those that oppose JWs either a) don't believe God exists and/or b) don't believe that God meant for humans to live forever on earth.
