Elpiro
This is sorta directed to you as asking rather then telling… I am studying the Bible and go to many teachers/sources of the Bible… (My sins are being paid for and thus my credit as a Christian in no way is held high enough to make claims of I’m right or your wrong in the eyes of a JW, but I’m still being humble and live now according to God’s Standards with my study in the Bible and Christian believes, so be open minded to the facts of my credit to your idea of standards) My views are expressed below thru use of the Bible regarding the comment you made on this thread…
He would have to show me that the watchtower is wrong in not participating in wars like the rest of the so-called Christians
That the watchtower is wrong in putting it’s faith in the kingdom and not man
That Christians are spread out in all sorts of organizations that think so differently about God they even go to war over it
He would have to show me that the WATCHTOWER is wrong regarding
The trinity
Hell
The purpose of God 4 the earth
That type of thing
The question is not whither it is wrong not to participate in WAR but whither God allows a true Christians to participate in War…
Is it wrong to judge another Christian (Christdom and Jehovah’s Witnesses are no different, just putting labels are wrong, a form of judgment) for standing up for what is rightfully theirs and for the good of others, which God gave them? Applying these scriptures
To bear arms…Luke 11:12
- John the Baptist when asked by soldiers what they should do, didn't tell them to drop their arms and quit being soldiers, the conversation went like this: "Even some soldiers were asking him, "And what should we do?" He told them, "Never extort money from anyone by threats or blackmail, and be satisfied with your pay." (Luke 3:14)
Jesus, when speaking with the Roman Centurion, didn't tell him to quit being a soldier, instead the conversation went like this: "For I, too, am a man under authority and have soldiers under me. I say to one 'Go' and he goes, to another 'Come' and he comes, and to my servant 'Do this' and he does it." When Jesus heard this, he was amazed and said to those who were following him, "Truly I tell you, not even in Israel have I found this kind of faith!" (Matthew 8:9-10) He was commended for his faith, and not condemned for being a soldier.
There is no inconsistency with faith and service as a soldier.
To be misinformed about what is really leading them… maybe in their hearts they believe they ARE being lead by God’s Kingdom like Jehovah’s Witnesses believe and they do what is faithful to God’s Standards (but for outsiders that feel differently like Jehovah’s Witnesses).
But really who guides their thinking or interprets how they guide their conscience… implying national governments, religious governments (including Jehovah’s Witnesses), or social leaders.
Jehovah’s Witness do have another form of violence and/or evil that they turn their heads toward, they discipline their children with use of the rode, is that not violence? They deceived or use trickery of words as a tool of vengeance or self-vindication. Yes even they go to war with one another in a smaller scale, like gangs in cities, but the Governing Body step in using Disfellowshipment… like Police in the city. It’s all depending on who controls… but still it’s man.
God told ones to Stand UP for the TRUTH… but also to pay Caesars things to Caesar. Eph.6:11-18; Matthew 5:39b; Matthew 22:21
As far as Trinity, Hell, and purpose of God for the Earth. You would be very surprised to know that Jehovah’s Witnesses were not the first to discover similar beliefs.
Buddhism , Confucianism , Hare Krishna , Hinduism , Black Islam, Jainism , Judaism , Rastafarianism , Gypsies , Shinto, Sikhism, Taoism , Vedanta , Agnosticism, Atheism, Marxism , Naturalism , Secular Humanism , Necromancy, Rosicrucianism , Wicca, Christian Science , New Age, Scientology , Theosophy , Transcendental Meditation , Unitarian Universalist, The Way International, The Boston Church, Children of God, and even Tarot Cards .
And for me personally I was studying with Latter Day of Saints who are a form of Mormon who don’t believe in Hell but believe in spreading the “Good News” that there will be a earthly paradise and God, Jesus and Holy Spirit aren’t all one in the same since. But that was just one religion I encountered with other then my born and raised religion as a Jehovah’s Witness, I have had friends at school that were in other churches that taught that hell is just an idea and trinity as just an idea… so if there are ones like these that have similar beliefs as ours (being raised as a JW) and even our religion has it’s imperfect flaws with predictions, doctrines, interpretations… what right do we have to JUDGE other Christians??
So am I to far off to make these statements? As you know I was raised as a Jehovah's Witness so you can reilliterate the scriptures or examples used, but please consider my statemetns too and explain where I maybe far off?