by Terry 54 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
Well.....consider James 1:13
"When under trial, let no one say: “I am being tried by God.” For with evil things God cannot be tried nor does he himself try anyone"
But never mind the Bible.....why would a JW want to actually put any weight in the Bible?
LOL .......insane.
The penalty for getting an F seems awfully harsh...
It is the arbitrary nature of a FINAL RECKONING which escapes the thinking of Jehovah's Witnesses IN TERMS OF JUSTNESS.
The "not knowing" the day and the hour by anybody OTHER than Jehovah indicates that only He has sufficient data-recognition capability to
know when the IDEAL MOMENT has arrived to pull the plug on the experiment.
But--nobody asks the question "What makes THIS moment any better or worse"?
Why lengthen the process even one second?
Pre-Jesus you could say the Flood of Noah was a pre-emptive strike of some sort to prevent the whole Earth from being Evil.
HOLD ON! If only 8 people are worth saving---statistically speaking--the whole Earth already was Evil!!
Is this the ratio of Good to Evil Jehovah acts upon?
Is THAT the moment Armageddon kicks in?
Greetings Terry! Yes I also believe it is a tipping of the scale.
Daniel 5:27 Babylon was found "deficient".
[this is an aside; I would have someone else wonder if in these days
(the days of those kings) some company of men are doing as Babylon
was doing Daniel 5:3,4]
Consider that men are they who bring the end.
Bible says Jehovah does bring the end Genesis 6:5-7 but I believe it
says so because he allows it.
Think of the wood. Lots of wood went into the ark. What brought the rain?
Was it too much wood burning? I think so. It means, I think, worshipping
on every high hill, they were burning too much wood for vanity.
Dear Daringheart, did you do your own personal Bible study?
or is your conclusion based on man's interpretation of Bible?
I do not like the man's interpretation of it either.
So I believe "the end" is brought about by man's activity.
I fear it will not be wonderfully controlled as they would wish.
By the way, the topic question is in Speculative Mode which assumes the validity of the premise as a stipulation.
I thought it was an interesting question and put it out there since a great many on this board still hold such metphysical propositions as valid.
I have thought this many times Terry, You found a way to put it into words. I like the way you think. I guess thats why you arent a dub. You are "too smart for your own good" as one elder put it to me when I asked questions.
Well, I'll tell you what I find interesting. Looking at something we think we KNOW as though we know nothing and simply starting from scratch.
Our minds are filled with beliefs that got in there without any due dilligence at all.
Like holding the door open and a critter running in and hiding.
This whole idea of Jehoobie "TESTING" people to see if they really really really love and trust him is ridiculous.
Any husband who put his wife through hell, or allowed other people to abuse her to find out how loyal she is and how much she loves him would be served with divorce papers.
I cannot believe that the almighty Jehoobie is so insecure he needs constant reassurance and proofs.
Sorry - abit off topic. BUT quantum physics has proved that by simply watching an experiment you interfere with the result.
Maybe if God had really trusted us he wouldnt need to have tested Adam and Eve. By making that silly little fruit test he actually pushed things in the direction of sin and suffering.
If Adam and Eve had no alternative route put in front of them, would they have started doing evil things?
HB
I don't think it is solely to measure ignorance. My take was it more akin to being burnished so we would be more ready for the end of the end. It was like a physical fitness program. My grandmother and mother had a heated discussion about this in front of the KH, that continued on the way home and for several days. The Society announced new light. It wasn't called new light back then. The Society did not make mistakes. Rather, Jehovah made them make the mistake to test loyalty. My mom was expelled for flag salute at 14. Her mother was the reason. The KH talk announced yet another test. Once they were beyond Witness ears, my mom said God does not test. God's people will have strength simply by being God's people.
I've mentioned before that growing up my mom was a Greek chorus of every two bit test/position that was later changed within a few years. There was no Internet back then. We were not allowed to be baptized. It was too serious and God(?) kept changing his mind. I also was told I could never date a Bethelite. The whole family endorsed that rule. She had heart breaking tales of losing education, going to federal prison for something later changed on what seemed like whimsy. Her belief was that it was worth dying for essential doctrine. She could not see it for Christmas, blood, or the 144,000.
I agreed with her. We are called to Christ. If we have the Holy Spirit (and we are told we do), why fear Satan? I adore the famous Pauline quote about principalities.
A couple of thoughts:
Terry, in essence, I think you've said that God alone knows when the best time to act is. I agree with that; though I think he already knows and has that time set. I think he can see the path we're travelling as a whole, and knows where humanity will end up. Regarding tests, I thought I would put something out there. Besides letting a teacher know what a student can do, a test ALSO lets the student know what they need to focus on and improve.
Botzwana, you said:
He already interupted the test though. He said he would leave man alone to figure all this stuff out. By changing the languages during the time of Nimrod the test is already inconclusive. By interfering in the flood of Noah´s day he has put himself into the test. I have other examples but that is the gist of it.
Did God say He would leave man alone to figure all this stuff out? Or did the JW's say this. There is a huge difference. And as you say, you know of numerous times in the bible that dispute this very idea. If God was just going to leave everyone alone and let everyone figure it out themselves, then we would have no prophets, no prayers answered, no Holy Spirit, and He would not have sent Christ to us, to show us the way.
Make sense?
Maybe if God had really trusted us he wouldnt need to have tested Adam and Eve. By making that silly little fruit test he actually pushed things in the direction of sin and suffering.
Same question. Who says God tested them? He warned them what the fruit of that tree would do. They did not heed that warning, and chose to listen to another. Free will allows them that choice, doesn't it?
Peace,
Tammy
