How to deal with "Whoe other than JW are preching today?"

by Simon Morley 54 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Simon Morley

  My BIL (active dub) has begun to ask me why we are not "active" anymore. After a few careful (non-DFing) comments and observations he asks "well who other than JW's are preaching the good news in fullfillment of Matt 24:14?"

  I responded with the comment that billions of Christ's followers worldwide, down through history for over 19 centuries have been selfless in preaching globally. Many millions of missionaries devote their lives to the preaching work, and hundreds of millions informally discuss the good news or just simply live it and become a force for good. The efforts of these are marginalized when it is said that only Jehovah's Witnesses participate in the work Jesus described.

  Any others had sucess with a "respectful" but thought-provoking response?
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  notverylikely

  I said something similiar at the meeting the elders called with me tonight and they laughed it off and said there was no way that could possibly be true.
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  possible-san

  Hi, Simon Morley.

  I think that you answered to him well.
  Probably, nobody can do explanation more than your good answer.

  Well, on my website, I am explaining that "primitive Christians" have visited Japan in A.D. 199 (the 2nd century).
  http://godpresencewithin.web.fc2.com/pages/zatsugaku/firstchristian.html

  After that, a member of the Christianity (Nestorian) spread to China was visiting Japan around the 7th century.

  And Catholic (Jesuit) visited Japan in the 16th century.

  And after the 20th century came, Russell visited Japan.

  The fact is obvious.
  Not only they have done that.

  They did not preach the truth to Japan until the 20th century.
  Why they boast of that now/today.
  Christian (not JWs) has done that for 2000 years.

  possible
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  possible-san

  Well, for me, the edit time for 30 minutes is too short:

  Furthermore, 1800 years ago (the 2nd century), there was no airplane.
  Why do they boast of today's activity that means of transportation developed highly?

  possible
• 

  LostGeneration

  JWfacts kills that assertion here:

  http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/preach.php

  Of course probably better to pick just a few points from the article if discussing with an active JW
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  Sojourn

  Great question.

  It might help to read my first post to see where I'm coming from: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/jw/experiences/196442/1/Fade-to-white

  I became open with Witnesses who asked me why they didn't see me as often anymore, and told them straight out that I felt pure motives were very important, and if I didn't have those, I didn't belong with them at meetings- or anywhere else.

  One former friend in particular said, "But you know that serving Jehovah is the only way to be truly happy! You can't give up now, the end is so close!"

  To this I said, "Please, take a moment to really think about the words you are saying to me, and try to be objective. Though I have found much happiness despite leaving, if I do this so that I will be happy, that is an insincere motive. Jehovah would see right through that, wouldn't he. The same goes for coming back because the end is near. If I returned because these are the last days, that would be pure selfishness: to save my neck. (And there's STILL no fooling Jehovah on this.) The very fact that the end is near and yet I am NOT returning should only highlight to you how very serious I am about serving Jehovah only out of true love! You and I both know that Jehovah strictly disapproves of that kind of scrambling conduct to 'look busy'."

  I had to do some doublespeak with her since at the time I no longer necessarily held to my former beliefs of the end being near, etc. (I really have no clue- how can anyone?) But I hope she considered my words, if not that day, at a quiet time later on. I have good reason to think she will apply some importance to what I said though I'm sure she'll never join all of us happy people on this site. She is a lifer unless something incredibly drastic happens. However, she admitted that she could not debate those points with me.
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  possible-san

  I do not know well that how the Japanese word "Eigyou" is expressed in English.
  Probably, it is near a meaning of the English word "sales."
  That (Eigyou) is the business in the fields/outside.

  In truth, it is that business (Eigyou) that JWs are doing.
  That is, it is the business of a "publishing company." (But they do not pay a salary. Is it fraud?)

  The explanation that they alone have preached is "an error in fact."
  The fact is that it is a business.

  If not so, we cannot explain the meaning of Rutherford's luxurious life during the era of "the Great Depression."
  http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/180518/1/Judge-Rutherford-Cadillac

  

  possible
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  cantleave

  I love JW Facts - that is the perfect answer.
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  debator

  This debate for your point to stick has to stay very, very general because once you get down to how they preach, when they preach, what message is preached, what God is preached your arguments become unstuck.

  I've seen people on these forums argue the preaching work is simply waiting for people to turn up of their own volition to your church. Sending out a load of cd's in the post in a one off mega attempt. Others say that since their religion preached in such and such century it is enough even if they do not do so now. but Jesus specifically said the preaching work would be world-wide right up to the end. Some argue that the content is unimportant as long as you preach any old message so according to them different messages throughout the centuries also count. Some say doing charity work cancels out the need to preach.

  Witnesses physically go out and preach door to door, street to street, person to person, Jehovah's kingdom message through his son Jesus and from the bible day in, day out and we will preach it till Armageddon. Do I think any other Religion does it? Nope not when they cannot even get God right in the message.
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  cantleave

  Nope not when they cannot even get God right in the message.

  And how do JW'S that? When they mistranslate the bible and add a name to the New Testament that shouldn't be there.

  As usual debator you are talking crap!