Take advantage of today's text in "Examing the Scriptures Daily" with your JW loved ones

by wannabefree 10 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  wannabefree

  Thursday, March 1

  Do not become ashamed of the witness about our Lord.-2 Tim. 1:8.

  To handle peer pressure, you first have to be convinced that your beliefs and standards are right. (2 Cor. 13:5) Conviction will help you to be bold, although you may be timid by nature. (2 Tim. 1:7) But even if a person is normally bold, it may be quite difficult for him to stand up for something that he only halfheartedly believes in. So why not prove to yourself that what you have been taught from the Bible is indeed the truth? Start with the basics. For example, you believe in God and you have heard others express why they have faith in his existence. Well, then, ask yourself, ‘What convinces me that God exists?' The purpose of that question is not to arouse skepticism but to strengthen your faith. In a similar vein, ask yourself, ‘Why am I convinced that these are "the last days"?' (2 Tim. 3:1-5) ‘What makes me believe that Jehovah's standards are for my good?'-Isa. 48:17, 18. w10 11/15 2:6
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  stillstuckcruz

  I can't stand texts and articles like these.

  ask yourself, ‘What convinces me that God exists?' The purpose of that question is not to arouse skepticism but to strengthen your faith. In a similar vein, ask yourself, ‘Why am I convinced that these are "the last days"?...‘What makes me believe that Jehovah's standards are for my good?'-Isa. 48:17, 18. w10 11/15 2:6

  ^Those questions certainly do feel like someone trying hard to convince themselves of something they have difficulty accepting.

  So why not prove to yourself that what you have been taught from the Bible is indeed the truth? Start with the basics.

  ^The problem with their definition of "prove to yourself" is that it does not involve ANY outside perspective. A few years ago, when I discussed a few doubts i'd been having about God, he told me to prove it to myself. But how did he want me to do that? He wanted me to involve myself deeper into the congregation with responsibilities, etc, in the hope that I would "feel Jehovah's help". That is the issue with their definition of "prove to yourself". It is completely devoid of the well-needed perspective. It would likely consist of soley the Bible and the WT magazines

  Great find though besides :)
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  N.drew

  What convinces me that God has assigned imperfect men to guard my soul?
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  WTWizard

  I'll start the basics. What is the common premise of all Christian religions? First, mankind has fallen into sin through a single act (Eden). Jesus came down to die for our sins, and in doing so offered up a perfect, complete sacrifice to which NOTHING ever need be added. Nothing--not my ability or right to attract the opposite sex, not my making missionary trips, not my joining the Value Destroyer Training School, nothing.

  How has the Washtowel violated this premise? Remember, requiring additional sacrifice nullifies the completeness of the sacrifice Jesus made--this is the core Christian doctrine, not a cult! If I am required to make the sacrifice to make the boasting session though it is boring, I have added to that sacrifice and desecrated it. If I offer the fruitage of my lips as a sacrifice, making a sacrifice of praise, that becomes an addition to Jesus' sacrifice and thereby desecrates it. If I donate money into the contribution box and do not receive value for the amount I donate, it becomes a sacrifice. If I throw something away to meet one of the rules, and that something wasn't inherently harmful (such as smoking), like some records I liked, that becomes an additional sacrifice. All of which desecrates the "complete, perfect sacrifice to which nothing ever need be added".
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  wannabefree

  Prove to yourself from the Bible that Jesus returned invisibly in 1914 and that he chose an organization of men as a "faithful and discreet slave" three-and-a-half years later. Can't get any more basic then that as far as Watch Tower origin goes. Do not prove it using Watchtower publications as the answer is completely bias, use only the source recommended in the text. When I make this request of my wife, she absoluteley refuses to make the examination.
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  Cadellin

  The purpose of that question is not to arouse skepticism but to strengthen your faith.

  Well, there it is. That's the REAL intent between what the WT is asking you to do. It's not an authentic proof test--which necessarily involves putting beliefs at risk--but rather ratification of what is already taken to be true. By staying within the magic circle of WT publications, the answer to any questions such as why I belive God exists or why I believe we're in the last days is inevitably, "Because the Society says so."

  Still, most JWs haven't the critical (read: independent) thinking skills to distinguish between these two endeavors. Most will (naively) believe that the Society really is encouraging an "honest-hearted" examination. So you might be able to do something with that...
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  00DAD

  WBF: Prove to yourself from the Bible ... Do not prove it using Watchtower publications ... When I make this request of my wife, she absoluteley refuses to make the examination.

  And I think we all know why that is!

  She can't!!!
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  wha happened?

  Been there. During one of those moments, I handed my wife a bible and told her to acquaint herself with it for a change. It's always about their literature
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  Disillusioned Lost-Lamb

  Statements like these from wash-towel make my skin crawl.

  They're essentially like a gilded cage and are saying "see how wonderful it is in this cage, how comfy and pretty it is; if you don't believe it just look around, but don't look out side or even stick your fingers through the bars, we'll bring you everything to convince you this cage is the place to be. Oh and by the way if you look elsewhere we'll kick you out of the cage, because God told us to".
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  Yan Bibiyan

  All valid points above.

  To me, however, the most fascinating part is the inclusion of: ‘Why am I convinced that these are "the last days"? between the ‘What convinces me that God exists?' and ‘What makes me believe that Jehovah's standards are for my good?'

  The slipping of the "last days" garbage between two commonly accepted Christian beliefs is not only sneaky, it is outright deceitful. In a similar manner they lumped together Higher Education with drugs, alcohol, teenage pregnancy, etc, in a recent publication.

  Unfortunately, most JWs wouldn't even think about it