Rutherford's Doctrines are Dead and so are the Reasons for JWs House-to-House Ministry (page 2)

BabaYaga

People will die for the blood issue and they REALLY have no understanding why they will die or allow their loved ones to die. They just know they can't take blood.

Profoundly said and profoundly sad, Minimus.

:Witnesses believe they have the absolute religious truth and God’s favor because they don’t espouse the three major doctrines of Christendom—burning hell, immortality of the human soul and the Trinity—and this is the major factor that makes them overlook the constant so-called “updating” of previously held—even to the death—beliefs.

I'm sure you are aware that I (and others) have pointed out many times that these three "essential" doctrines all involve mysticism, which by its very nature is beyond debate. It cannot be dis-proven, nor can it be proven. Furthermore, these three doctrines have NOTHING to do with how a Christian should live his/her life, only with WHAT unprovable mysticism is right to be approved by God. Or not, say the dubs. Surely, any sensible God would chose something more concrete and more practical as "essential" core beliefs to separate people whom He approves and people whom He does not approve.

Note that the synoptic Gospels spends quite a bit of time talking about Jesus discussing anything but burning hell, immortality and the trinity. No! He spend a lot of time talking about the two greatest commandments, neither of which is those three mystical doctrines. The Sermon on the Mount, the Good Samaritan story, talking care of ones familiy, giving charity to others were his themes.

In short, the WT Corporation has picked three red herrings as "core" doctrines and ignored things which are much more valuable and helpful in our human existence and hope no one notices them for what they are.

People have murdered people or treated people poorly because the victims didn't believe in a Trinity, but I don't know of anyone who's life or the life of those around him/her who's life was made BETTER for believing in the Trinity.

Those 3 doctrines having nothing to do with bettering our lives as humans, unless they make us scared shitless if we don't want to or don't want to believe them, and what kind of Christian example would that be if they did? Jesus didn't scare anyone into believe in Him.

Farkel

life is to short

Thank you Barbara.

I loved Terry's post and I printed it out to be able to use with my husband someday. Well that night we got into going door to door because the snow is so bad here. I was really hurt he would use the car to hull people around in it with the streets being peer ice with huge ice ruts in them and even the news saying to stay off them. Seriously Jehovah's Witnesses are going to truly make a huge fool of themselves going even on RV's blocking streets because there is no where to park.

My husband let me read him Terry's post and the first things my husband said after everything Terry said was what you just wrote here (Witnesses believe they have the absolute religious truth and God's favor because they don't espouse the three major doctrines of Christendom-burning hell, immortality of the human soul and the Trinity-and this is the major factor that makes them overlook the constant so-called "updating" of previously held-even to the death-beliefs.)

My husband said all three things to me exactly what you just wrote, it is almost like you had listened into our conversation Thursday night. You hit the nail right on the head it is amazing to me. My husband turned to me and said do you believe in the Trinity? After everything I had just read him from Terry's post and explained to him, how the WT was just using us to peddle their magazines etc all he could say was do you believe in the Trinity? I asked him if he thought Terry's post was off base and he said Terry made some very good points but this is still the truth and the three points you said prove it. He agrees that the door to door work is the the best way to reach people or that it is even very effective but its the way the FS wants us to do it so that is how he will do it.

It is truly crazy making.

I have started to ask him so when you die will your last thoughts be I wish I had gone out one more Saturday to try to convert one more person or will you being thinking I wish I had spent that Saturday with my wife enjoying the wonderful world God gave me to enjoy.

This is such a horribly sad religion.

LITS

life is to short

Farkel

Thanks I just read your post. I loved the way you explained it. Thank you.

LITS

Ding

When you think about it, why can't ANY religious leader or governing body claim that they are constantly receiving new light?

The Mormon church, for example, has received a lot of "new revelations" over the years regarding polygamy, black people holding the priesthood, the nature of God, and the like.

How can the WTS counter this when so much of their own doctrine has been abandoned as "old light" including almost everything they were teaching when Jesus supposedly chose them to be the FDS organization?

OnTheWayOut

Thanks Barbara. I know everything they teach expires, but the way you put it an explanation is great reading.

thetrueone

If lies and deception created this powerful kingdom, then " the truth " will eventually destroy it, hows that for a plausible irony !

BluesBrother

They no longer believe that they are separating sheep from goats but they still maintain that the "Kingdom message" is the basic touchstone for Gods judgement - accept it and live, reject it and die at Armageddon. They preach to "Save yourselves and those who listen to you"

WT 2008 7/15 p6

"Ezekiel’s vision highlights one reason why our ongoing search for people who are “sighing and groaning” is so urgent. It involves lives. Soon, Jehovah’s heavenly executional forces, represented by the six men with weapons, will destroy those who do not have the symbolic mark. Concerning that coming judgment, the apostle Paul wrote that the Lord Jesus, accompanied by “his powerful angels,” will bring “vengeance upon those who do not know God and those who do not obey the good news about our Lord Jesus.” (2 Thess. 1:7, 8) Notice that people will be judged on the basis of their response to the good news. Hence, the proclamation of God’s message must continue unabated right to the end. (Rev. 14:6, 7) This places a heavy responsibility on all of Jehovah’s dedicated servants.—Read Ezekiel 3:17-19.

13 The apostle Paul felt a personal responsibility to share the good news with others. He wrote: “Both to Greeks and to Barbarians, both to wise and to senseless ones I am a debtor: so there is eagerness on my part to declare the good news also to you there in Rome.” (Rom. 1:14, 15) Out of gratitude for the mercy he had been shown, Paul felt compelled to try to help others to benefit from the undeserved kindness of God just as he had benefited from it. (1 Tim. 1:12-16) It was as if he owed a debt to each person he met, a debt that could be repaid only by sharing the good news with that person. Do you feel such a debt to the people in your territory?—Read Acts 20:26, 27.

14 As important as the preservation of human life is, there is a far greater reason for preaching from house to house. In the prophecy recorded at Malachi 1:11, Jehovah declares: “From the sun’s rising even to its setting my name will be great among the nations, and . . . a presentation will be made to my name, even a clean gift; because my name will be great among the nations.” In fulfillment of this prophecy, Jehovah’s dedicated servants are publicly praising his name in all the earth as they humbly carry out their ministry. (Ps. 109:30; Matt. 24:14) Rendering “a sacrifice of praise” to Jehovah is our foremost reason for preaching publicly and from house to house

MrMonroe

BluesBrother, that's an enlightening article you've quoted. Even from an organisation that presents often contradictory statements, it's a strange study article, because those three paragraphs contain two opposing statements: (1) The chief reason JWs do door-to-door witnessing is to help God decide who survives Armageddon and who doesn't; and (2) Door-to-door witnessing is principally carried out not do benefit anyone (Witness or householder) but as a means of praising God. No wonder Witnesses are confused.

Mary

Witnesses believe they have the absolute religious truth and God's favor because they don't espouse the three major doctrines of Christendom-burning hell, immortality of the human soul and the Trinity-and this is the major factor that makes them overlook the constant so-called "updating" of previously held-even to the death-beliefs.

Excellent summary Barb. We've seen first-hand evidence of that right here on the board. Some pro-Witnesses that have posted here like Reniaa or Alice.in.Wonderland (amongst others) would inevitably use one of the above doctrines as "proof" that the Dubs are the one true religion, even when the subject at hand is totally different. Conversations I've had with my sister has resulted in the same thing. While she doesn't believe that Jesus returned in 1914, she still believes it's the Truth because of these 3 doctrines.

As Farkel already mentioned, belief or non-belief in any of these 3 doctrines does not make you a better or worse person and Jesus did not spend alot of time discussing any of them. Of course, Crooklyn loves to be viewed as "different" from other religions and when they combine their hatred of these 3 core doctrines and then throw in the old "we're the only ones preaching", it gives those Dubs (many who have a minimum understanding of the religion) the impression that they are indeed, the Chosen Ones.

Rutherford's Doctrines are Dead and so are the Reasons for JWs House-to-House Ministry

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