what, exactly, did we witness?

stillin

I mean, in a passive sense of the word, to witness means that we saw something or heard something. In an active sense, we share our experience with somebody who wasn't there.

ok, "witnessing for God's Kingdom" means that we somehow KNOW something about it that needs to be shared with others. We SAW something and now we are testifying about it; but I don't seem to be able to recall what it was that I saw. I wasn't around to see how WW1 in 1914 was so meaningful (wrong generation, I guess.) Am I privy to some special insight about these last days? Not really, most people already know that the human race is in trouble, what with global warfare and weapons of mass destruction in the hands of scared-sh*tless, hate-filled warmongers.

But, really, what has there been for us to SEE with our own two eyes that is worth the trouble of telling people about? If I really could see that God is gathering His people into a safe haven of Christ-like (or even especially good) people I would consider it a privelege to invite strangers into the "ark." There just isn't enough to go on.

Have I missed something in the last 90 years that is socially, spiritually or in any way significant? Spare me the tricky mathematical/scriptural interpretations. What is God up to these days?

cantleave

We witnessed hypocrisy at it's best!

LostGeneration

We were witnesses to and for an end-times doomsday cult. Nothing more or less in my book. When the clock ran out on them (twice 1975 and "this generation) the end-times part blurred for me to the point of asking hard questions: What the hell am I doing with my life? Are we really in the "last days" or have things been like this all along? Why must I sit for hours and hours each week listening to the same regurgited crap over and over?

When a JW reaches the point where they start to ask the really tough questions and answer them truthfully, they have one foot out the door. Anyone with a shred of honesty quickly comes to the conclusion they have been caught up in a scam. Yes it hurts, sucks, stinks and every other negative thing you can think of when you fully realize you have been duped for xx number of years depending on your situation.

AwareBeing

You've got a great new point that de-legitimizes the name "Witnesses"!

Rutherford's misapplication of Isaiah added another layer of lies to their beliefs.

The WT&BTS's followers of today don't see any of Ye-hu'wah's signs.

After a century they don't know the father's name or how to pronounce it.

Terry

Into the courtroom walks the first Witness.

The oath is administered to "tell the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth."

The witness takes their seat next to the judge.

The attorney approaches for questioning.

Attorney: Tell us what you saw and heard, please.

Witness: "I personally saw and heard nothing."

Attorney: "Then, how can you be a witness here in court today?"

Witness: "I believe what somebody else told me that they read in an old book which was translated many times based on writings

culled from word of mouth stories."

Judge, interrupting: "Please vacate the witness seat please and leave this courtroom!"

NomadSoul

I witnessed my childhood slip away.

exwhyzee

Your question did remind me of the time when my Aunt in Wales was turning into her driveway when another car hit her from behind. Several people came forward and said they had seen the accident and would be happy to come to her aid as witnesses if needed. The next day her husband was out mowing the lawn when two people stopped by the house. My Aunt answered the door and over the sound of the lawn mower, heard them say something about being witnesses. She directed them to her husband who was handling the accident claim with their insurance co. Later, when she heard the lawn mower start up again, she looked out the window only to see the two visitors trotting back and forth across the yard holding out some kind of magazines to her husband as he mowed and tried to ignore them. Later when he came into the house, he told her it had been Jehovah's Witnesses...not witnesses to her car accident.

Anyway, I think they use the term Witness in this case because anyone giving testimony is expected to tell The Truth.

OUTLAW

What did Joe the Hobo Witness?..

....................... ...OUTLAW

InterestedOne

Ever since I was a child and heard the word Jehovah's "Witnesses," I always wondered to myself, "what did they witness?" meaning, "what did they see?" However, as I have learned more about our language, I have learned that the word "witness" does not always require that you saw something. For example, a scientist or doctor may be called an expert witness in court even though he/she did not actually see the event. Here is a link to a definition:

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/witness

In the context of religion, a witness is someone who is willing to testify that the religious idea they are telling people about, e.g. the idea of Jehovah, is true. Notice that according to the above link the root of the word is from Old English "wit" meaning "knowledge." I guess you could say Jehovah's Witnesses claim to have knowledge about Jehovah and consider themselves in a role similar to an expert witness in court. They are willing to testify that what they are saying about Jehovah is true. One problem I see with this though is that I don't think the majority of people in the world consider them to be experts on the subject.

stillin

interested one, you make a good point about the "expert witness." However, I don't feel that I qualify as an expert. I can't for the life of me, figure out how I ever came to think that I could be one.

The cross/stauros thing...I'm no Greek scholar, I simply went with what I was told and really, who cares?

The hellfire thing? Makes better sense to believe that a loving God wouldn't torture people, sure, but all that takes is about two seconds to figure that out.

The trinity? We're mincing words and toying with people's minds. The whole universe is really just one thing.

The faithful and discreet slave? Jesus himself posed it as a question..."Who really IS...?

The global brotherhood is a little harder to ignore. It really is phenomenal, but still, it's shot through with cruelty and mercilessness. Not just individual people, but its' policies and proceedures are lifeless, other than the occasional appeal to our emotions.

Yeah, maybe I AM an expert witness...

what, exactly, did we witness?

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