Will only "incorrigibly wicked" people be destroyed at Armageddon?

by poor places 35 Replies latest jw friends

  • poor places
    poor places

    In a recent talk that I heard, a brother tried to comfort those whose family members have left Jehovah's Witnesses. He did so by saying that only "incorrigibly wicked" people will be destroyed at Armageddon. I found his line of reasoning refreshing, especially in comparison with the usual fear-mongering in WT publications.

    But I'm not sure if what this brother said accords with WT doctrine or not. Through years of mostly not paying attention at the meetings and browsing the magazines, my impression has been that the society's explanation of who will die at Armageddon is muddled. I don't think they've ever said outright that Jehovah's Witnesses are the only people who will survive Armageddon, but I also know that they don't want to give people the impression that any good person will survive.

    I don't have access to WT Library at the moment, so I was wondering if anyone knows what the current official WT viewpoint is on who will die at Armageddon. The only reason I care is that I may have to defend my lack of belief pretty soon. We'll see. Thanks in advance if anyone is able to provide information on this question.

  • Mad Sweeney
    Mad Sweeney

    He strayed from the formula.

    Anyone who has ever "heard the truth" but is not a JW at Armageddon will be destroyed. That's the official doctrine. It leaves the loophole so that when you tell them that they have failed (in an EPIC WAY) to preach to everyone on earth, they can claim that those who haven't heard "the good news" Jehovah will "read their hearts."

  • Lore
    Lore

    Only "incorrigibly wicked" people will be destroyed.

    But anyone who isn't baptised and doesn't report their time every month is "incorrigibly wicked".

  • flipper
    flipper

    In reality no one will be destroyed at an alleged " Armageddon " - because it doesn't exist. It's a fantasy fear tactic which the WT society has gamely used for over 130 years now to keep JW's and others controlled through fear . So , in my humble opinion, don't worry about it . You're good to go

  • leavingwt
    leavingwt

    "Only Jehovah's Witnesses, those of the anointed remnant and the "great crowd," as a united organization under the protection of the Supreme Organizer, have any Scriptural hope of surviving the impending end of this doomed system dominated by Satan the Devil." Watchtower 1989 Sep 1 p.19

    "Similarly, Jehovah is using only one organization today to accomplish his will. To receive everlasting life in the earthly Paradise we must identify that organization and serve God as part of it." Watchtower 1983 Feb 15 p.12

    "Is it presumptuous of Jehovah's Witnesses to point out that they alone have God's backing? Actually, no more so than when the Israelites in Egypt claimed to have God's backing in spite of the Egyptians' belief, or when the first-century Christians claimed to have God's backing to the exclusion of Jewish religionists." Watchtower 2001 Jun 1 p.16

    "During the final period of the ancient world that perished in the Flood, Noah was a faithful preacher of righteousness. (2 Peter 2:5) In these last days of the present system of things, Jehovahs people are making known Gods righteous standards and are declaring good news about the possibility of surviving into the new world. (2 Peter 3:9-13) Just as Noah and his God-fearing family were preserved in the ark, survival of individuals today depends on their faith and their loyal association with the earthly part of Jehovahs universal organization." Watchtower2006 May 15 p.22 "Are You Prepared for Survival?"

    "There are billions of people who do not know Jehovah. Many of them in ignorance practice things that God's Word shows to be wicked. If they persist in this course, they will be among those who perish during the great tribulation." Watchtower 1993 Oct 1 p.19

    "If we stop actively supporting Jehovah's work, then we start following Satan. There is no middle ground." Watchtower 2011 Jul 15 p.18 "But Jehovah's servants already belong to the only organization that will survive the end of this wicked system of things." Watchtower 2007 Dec 15 p.14

    "But if we were to draw away from Jehovah's organization, there would be no place else to go for salvation and true joy." Watchtower 1993 Sep 15 p.22

    "Only Christian witnesses of Jehovah who successfully pass this test will survive and come forth like fire-refined gold for God's use in his precious new order." Watchtower 1985 Mar 1 p.14

    "And while now the witness yet includes the invitation to come to Jehovahs organization for salvation, the time no doubt will come when the message takes on a harder tone, like a "great war cry."" Watchtower 1981 Nov 15 p.21

    "But Jehovah God has also provided his visible organization, his "faithful and discreet slave", made up of spirit-anointed ones, to help Christians in all nations to understand and apply properly the Bible in their lives. Unless we are in touch with this channel of communication that God is using, we will not progress along the road to life, no matter how much Bible reading we do." Watchtower 1981 Nov 15 p.27

    "This great crowd is part of the only truly united multinational organization on earth today. They do not cry out that they owe salvation to the holy spirit, for they are not servants of a trinitarian god. In some 200 geographical territories around the earth, they are at one in calling upon the name of Jehovah as they speak the one pure language of truth. (Zephaniah 3:9) Properly, they publicly acknowledge that their salvation comes from Jehovah, the God of salvation, through Jesus Christ, His Chief Agent of salvation.-Psalm 3:8; Hebrews 2:10. Modern technology has helped to make the loud voice of the united great crowd sound even louder. No other religious group on earth has need of publishing Bible study aids in more than 200 languages, since no other group is interested in reaching all peoples of earth with one united message." Revelation pp.122-123

    "They must appreciate that identifying themselves with Jehovahs organization is essential to their salvation." Kingdom Ministry 1990 Nov p.1

    "Direct Interest Progressively on Bible Studies: The primary purpose of a Bible study is to teach the truth of God's Word. It should also build in the student an appreciation for Jehovahs organization and make him aware of the vital need to become part of it. ... The weekly Bible study should include instruction that will help students appreciate the organization and take advantage of provisions for their salvation. Take a few minutes each week to relate or describe something about the organization and how it functions. You can find helpful talking points in the November 1, 1984, Watchtower. The brochures Jehovahs Witnesses in the Twentieth Century and Jehovahs Witnesses Unitedly Doing God's Will Worldwide discuss major facets of the organization and how they may benefit us. Arranging for Bible students to view the video Jehovah's WitnessesThe Organization Behind the Name will let them see for themselves what it is accomplishing." Kingdom Ministry 1993 Apr p.3

    "As this spiritual warfare advanced, those serving with Jehovah's organization were refreshed by continuing flashes of Bible understanding, and their numbers grew until, in 1938, as many as 50,769 reported Kingdom service during an international testimony period." Watchtower 1984 Jan 1 p.11

    "Those who will form the nucleus of the "new earth", a new earthly society of rightly disposed people, are being gathered during these last days. They are already nearly seven million strong, in at least 235 lands and in some 100,000 congregations. These millions have been learning the righteous and just ways of Jehovah, and as a result, worldwide they enjoy a unity that is cemented by Christian love. Their unity is the most pronounced and enduring in the history of the world, a unity exceeding anything experienced by Satan's subjects." Watchtower 2007 Aug 15 p.26

    "Moreover, the attendance at the Memorial of Jesus Christs death last year indicates that some ten million people who are not Witnesses of Jehovah were sufficiently interested in the good news to attend this important commemoration." Kingdom Ministry 2008 Feb p.6"What will happen to young children at Armageddon? The Bible does not directly answer that question, and we are not the judges. However, the Bible does show that God views the young children of true Christians as "holy." (1 Cor. 7:14) It also reveals that in times past when God destroyed the wicked he likewise destroyed their little ones." Reasoning from the Scriptures pp.47-48

    "Children are affected by the course of their parents, and parents are warned that their iniquity is visited on their offspring unto the third and fourth generation. (Ex. 20:5, 6) Parents are commanded to instruct their children in God's way, and if in these last days parents refuse to heed the divine instruction and warning they bring destruction upon themselves and their small children at Armageddon. (Deut. 6:6, 7; Eph. 6:4) According to justice God can leave such children dead, for, as Ezekiel showed, all die in their iniquity." Watchtower 1950 Nov 15 p.463 Questions From Readers

    "By all the evidences this system of things is hastening to its final confrontation with the God of justice at Armageddon. Parents and children who fail to gain the "mark on their foreheads," that is, an adequate appreciation of God's moral standard, are sure to suffer. Parents will be held accountable for their children, and children will suffer for the failure of their parents." Watchtower 1968 Feb 1 pp.83-84

    "That is not all there is to God's judgment against Babylon the Great. Her final destruction is soon to come. (Revelation 18:21) With good reason, the Bible urges people everywhere: "Get out of her [Babylon the Great] . . . if you do not want to share with her in her sins." (Revelation 18:4, 5) How do we get out of Babylon the Great? This involves more than just severing any ties with false religion. Babylonish influence is present in many popular celebrations and customs, in the world's permissive attitude toward sex, in the promoting of entertainment involving spiritism, and much more. To keep on the watch, it is vital that both in our actions and in the desires of our heart, we give evidence that we are truly separate from Babylon the Great in every way." Watchtower 2000 Oct 1 p.24

    "Still, Jehovah will not destroy at random. Some humans will be saved. "You went forth for the salvation of your people, to save your anointed one," says Habakkuk 3:13. Yes, Jehovah will save his faithful anointed servants. The destruction of Babylon the Great, the world empire of false religion, will then be complete. Today, however, the nations are trying to wipe out pure worship. Soon, Jehovah's servants will be attacked by the forces of Gog of Magog." Watchtower 2000 Feb 1 p.22

    "Let us recognize that Christendom is doomed, along with all the rest of Babylon the Great. She has refused to repent of her religiously immoral or adulterous course of action, her friendship with this world. (Jas. 4:4) She is like the rest of the ungodly world, even after Jehovah's Christian witnesses have plainly declared God's impending judgment to her." Watchtower 1972 Dec 15 p.753

    "The narrow door to salvation stands open to all. But the "many" do not like to struggle to enter. What are some factors about going through the narrow door that require vigorous exertion? A person must first gain accurate knowledge of Bible truth, and get to know Jehovah God and Christ Jesus. (John 17:3) This means casting aside the traditions and practices of worldly religions, including those of Christendom. It requires doing God's will, as Jesus did it while here on earth. (1 Peter 2:21) As a dedicated, baptized Christian, one must also avoid the materialism, the immorality, and the uncleanness of the world." Watchtower 1986 Jan 15 p.12

    http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/salvation-only-for-jehovahs-witnesses.php

  • sir82
    sir82

    That expression "only the incorrigibly wicked will be destroyed at Armageddon" is lifted word for word from a "public edition" of the Watchtower from sometime earlier this year.

    It's one of those "dual meaning" code expressions that JWs like so much.

    For a member of the public not familiar with JWs, "incorrigibly wicked" = "Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, etc." and they think "hey that sounds cool"

    For a JW, "incorrigibly wicked+ = "any one of the 99.9% of the human race that does not agree 100% with the JW interpretation of the Bible" and they smile smugly, envisioning being one of the few survivors of the slaughter of 7 billion humans.

  • Mad Sweeney
    Mad Sweeney

    Another win for jwfacts.com

  • leavingwt
    leavingwt

    According to WT theology, if Armageddon happens tomorrow, Jehovah will slaughter tens of millions of Asian children.

  • Bella15
    Bella15

    Then comes up another question ... WHO and WHAT chooses/defines/decides what's an "incorrigibly wicked" people ...

    I may judge someone "incorrigible wicked" yet another person may find him/her a "loving" person.

    When you judge people under the LAW (like Watchtower and JWs) we are all "incorrigible wicked" as we will never be able to obtain perfection to be acceptable in front of God ...when you are under GRACE ... you are "lovable" ... even if your transgressions are red as blood, God through GRACE sees all White as snow ...

    Law demands perfect obedience

    GRACE supplies perfect obedience, it is given to us through my LORD and SAVIOUR JESUS

    My niece, who was sexually abused by 3 different JWs is considered "incorrigibly wicked" by Watchtower's standards as she doesn't want to go back to being a JW (she knows the truth about the truth now) - they'd rather see her commiting suicide than show mercy to her and let her choose JESUS as her Lord and Saviour, her MEDIATOR not any bunch on old men in New York some now we know haven been homosexuals.

    "I found his line of reasoning refreshing" - Sorry ... in the Christian context, the bible is clear as to whom will be saved ... and it has nothing to do with "works/law" - it has to do with who you believe in ...

  • Found Sheep
    Found Sheep

    sounds like there may be a "thinker" elder

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