Here's a list of questions I compiled a while ago, for any new ones or lurkers to answer if they can.
I'm sure theres plenty more that could be added.
Questions?
1. GENTILE TIMES.
a. why do we believe in such a thing as the gentile times? this arises as it is not specifically mentioned in the bible as described by Jehovah’s witnesses.__________
YK: That expression is found in the KJV in the 21st chapter of Luke. The NWT uses the expression “the appointed times of the nations.” Jesus made reference to a specific period of time that God’s holy place would be dominated by opposing nations of the world.
b. why do we calculate that they start with the destruction of Jerusalem in 607 b.c.e.? historians place the event in 587 b.c.e. the 607 date is not mentioned in the bible either.___________
YK: History is not an exact science. It is open to interpretation and even manipulation. The Watchtower has just as much right as the next guy to offer their opinion.
c. why is the duration calculated the way it is? It involves such thing as a prophetic year of 360 days times by 7 then changing a day for a year then saying these years relate to the modern western calendar of 365 1/4 days.__________
YK: Our interpretation of the “7 times” of Daniel is based upon Revelation’s own use of a similar prophecies that reveals that 3 ½ times are equal to 1,260 days. That period is also described as 42 months. So it is really just a matter of doubling 1,260.
2. PROPHECY.
a. why do we believe you can only understand certain prophecies after the event. if the prophecy can’t be understood properly until after it has happened what purpose does it serve. how
can we trust the interpretation of the fulfillment of prophecies that are ambiguous._______
YK: Because certain prophecies have been sealed by the order of Jehovah. That means that it suits his purpose not to reveal certain things until He is ready. Isaiah and Daniel both make reference to God sealing those prophecies. One of the reason Jehovah does that is to force his servants to live by faith. Jesus explained that those disciples of his who are waiting on his arrival are like virgins waiting for the groom to come to the wedding. But when he arrives some of those in expectation don’t have enough oil in their lamps to negotiate the dark path to the wedding feast. So they are left behind. So that parable indicates that Jehovah retains the means to winnow out faithless individual even from those who are otherwise his followers, and a lot of it has to do with how we react as prophecy unfolds in ways we have not anticipated. In the end Jehovah will be vindicated as the Master who foretold everything from beginning to end just as He said he did. And all men will have to confess that they are liars and only Jehovah is true.
b. Why do we believe prophecies have a hidden or double meaning? there is nothing in the bible that specifically states that some prophecies have double or triple fulfilments the fulfilment of which is usually claimed to be with jw’s in resent or near history. ________
YK: That’s not true. We can appreciate the layered depth of prophecies by studying how Jesus and the inspired apostles applied them. For example, some events in the ancient past, like Noah’s flood, and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, have prophetic meaning. We know this because Jesus said that his presence would be just as in the days of Noah and Lot. Another example is the destruction of Jerusalem. Jesus foretold that Jerusalem would be surrounded by an army with pointed stakes and that the holy place would be violated by a disgusting thing. Yet, other prophecies in nearly all of the Hebrew prophecies describe a similar attack by a disgusting thing upon Jehovah’s people at the conclusion of the system of things. So the event in the first century merely provide a pattern for thing to come. Another example is the book of Joel. Joel describes momentous events leading directly to the final battle of Armageddon, which Joel describes in the last chapter as occurring on the “low plain of the decision.” Yet, on the day of Pentecost Peter was inspired to announce that the outpouring of Jehovah’s spirit upon his sons and daughters, as described in Joel the 2nd chapter, was fulfilled on that occasion. But nothing else from the book of Joel was fulfilled back in the 1st century, so there is obviously a much grander realization of the prophecies including a Pentecost-like outpouring of spirit. There are in fact hundreds of various aspects of prophecies that can be examined this way, but these few should suffice to prove that we are fully justified in recognizing that nearly all prophecies have more than one application.
3. FAITHFUL AND DISCREET SLAVE.
a. Why do we believe this is a prophecy about and organisation god will use in the time of the end? why say that this has a meaning extra to an illustration that Jesus was giving about Christians being ready for his return _________
YK: In the 12th chapter of Luke Jesus explained that the faithful slave is placed in charge of God’s household. And the slave is judged based upon whether or not he fulfills his assignment to care for the members of God’s household.
b. Why believe the organisation we now know as Jehovah’s witnesses was selected as the above in 1919? the beliefs of the Russellites or bible students were very different from ours today._______
YK: That’s not true. None of the fundamental teachings have changed. They have only been refined, which is to be expected.
They generally thought the slave was Russell Michael the arch angel was the pope that Christ presence began in 1874 and last days in 1799 that the resurrection to heaven began in 1874 used the cross celebrated birthdays and Christmas thought the end of the world would come in 1925 and used pyramidology in time calculations amongst many more things. c. If chosen by God why so many beliefs changed? if god is using this organisation why have they had to change so many teachings. These changes have lead to the disillusionment (dates) and even imprisonment (civil service) and death (vaccines and transplants) to many.________
YK: The apostles originally had a lot of childish ideas too. Paul used the illustration at Corinthians the 13th chapter about “when I was a babe, I used to speak as a babe…” to illustrate how the congregation goes through a growth process until it reaches maturity. The same process is evident in modern times and when Christ arrives, as an organization at least, we will finally achieve full-grown stature.
4. TRUTH.
a. Are organization or unity more important than truth? must individual witnesses accept and preach things they believe to be false for the sake of unity or loyalty to the organisation?_____
YK: Yes and no. Paul said to observe the oneness of the spirit. So if a Christian believes that what the Society is teaching is wrong on a particular point then they need to be true to their own conscience as far as what they teach in their personal ministry. But, at the same time it is possible and even necessary to hold two contradictory opinions simultaneously, at least until a resolution is obtained. It is not either or. It is not that unless we teach the whole truth and nothing but the truth than our organization is a fraud. That’s not the way it works. What I mean is that Jehovah’s Witnesses can still be Jehovah’s people in spite of error, shortcomings and transgressions. Observing the oneness of the spirit in faith would prevent one with contrary views from disturbing others unnecessarily with his issues. In the end each of us must wrestle with our own angel in order to finally get the blessing Jehovah holds out to us.
b. Is there such thing as present truth? on what basis does the society establish the truth of a matter ? how can something be accepted as defiantly true today but false tomorrow , whilst
things that we can’t be sure of ( we need faith ), are still taught as definite truth?______
YK: That’s a goofy expression. More modestly we should say: ‘according to our current understanding.’
5. BLOOD.
a Why is whole blood transfusion not allowed yet nearly all the components that make up blood are ok? Why is it not taught that whole blood transfusions are very rare and that we are allowed nearly all of blood if it is broken into parts. Why is a distinction made between certain parts of blood , what is the basis.___________
YK: Where does it end? I think the Society made the right call in sidestepping a pharisaic black hole by not ruling on all the minute parts. For example: Blood contains a good bit of salt. Do we then ban table salt? I think the Watchtower decision is more than reasonable
b. Why are we not allowed to donate blood but are allowed blood fractions from donated blood? This seams hypocritical especially in view of the vast amount of blood that needs to be taken and stored in order to supply the small blood fractions we can use._________
YK: Your blood doesn’t belong to you. Jehovah claims ownership of it. So it is immoral to give away something that doesn’t belong to us. In the case of fractions that derive from blood, that goes back to each one’s conscience.
b. Why do we teach blood transfusions are like eating unbled meat? A blood transfusion differs from eating food as it is a transplant and nourishment can not be gained from it. ________
YK: Taking a transfusion is more analogous to gaffing down a liter of blood. Some people do drink blood as a ritual or even a sacrilege, So it is not just from a nutritional standpoint. The point is the Bible simply says to abstain from blood. Whether one would take blood for nutrition or whatever, it doesn’t matter. Jehovah forbids it, so we are determined to honor his will in the matter.
The command to Noah says not to eat flesh with the blood in it as the soul was in the blood yet we believe the soul dies with your body .Was this a command not to eat live animals? _______
No of course not. That’s Ray Franz’s nonsensical empty-headed reasoning. No one in his or her right mind would try to eat a living animal. You would probably get your teeth kicked in if you tried. Jehovah was simply stating that all live belonged to him and that blood represented that life and so must not be used for any purpose.
d. Is blood more sacred than life? When people have a blood transfusion they don’ kill the donor like an animal for eating , but the patient may die without the blood . Which is more important the blood or the life?_________
YK: No. But they in effect take something that doesn’t belong to them, but that God claims as his own. Adam and Eve apparently rationalized that taking God’s special fruit wasn’t any big deal---but it was.
6. HISTORY
a. Why is the organisation not more open about past history? For an organisation that prides itself on truth and honesty why does it not make it easier for people to know its full history with out bias or editing? can it not discuss mistakes made ( which number much more than many think ) and why they went wrong?_________
YK: There is no reason to delve into all of that. Everyone is entitled to put their best face forward. Apostates have their own agenda to discredit and cause embarrassment. Our view is: “forget the things behind and stretch forward to the things ahead.”
b. Does anyone really know the true history? due to the fact that no one is alive today who remembers the beginning of the org or its early history is it possible to know the motives of such men as Russell , Rutherford and others?____________
YK: I think the Society has given a fairly accurate account of itself. There are simply too many old timers around who know the story for the Wt to do too much embellishment.
7. APOSTASY
a. What happens to people who were disfellowshipped in the past for things we no longer view as false or wrong? Say you had an organ transplant in the past and were disfellowshipped
would you now have that annulled?__________
YK: I seriously doubt that that has ever happened. Transplants were very rare back when the Society viewed them that way.
b. Would the beliefs of Russell , Rutherford , Knorr or Franz make them what we know consider apostate? How come they wrote things in the magazines that were wrong and were not removed when if a publisher promoted wrong beliefs he would be accused of apostasy?_________
YK: You have a very childish view of things. There is room for error. Making mistakes doesn’t mean that one is an apostate. An apostate is one who turns against his brothers and Jehovah.
c. Are you an apostate to God the bible or the organisation? If you disagree with a point the society believes but is not directly stated in the bible are you going against a bible command?________
YK: It depends on what you do with your knowledge.
In which way does believing that the proof leads to a different conclusion from the society make you an enemy of god?________
YK;Again, it depends on what conclusions you come to and what you do.
d. Why are witnesses discouraged from considering criticism of societies beliefs? How can you establish the validity of a view point without hearing the other side of an argument?
YK: Criticism is very one-sided. And the Society shouldn’t have to put itself in the position of constantly defending itself before Jehovah’s Witnesses. That’s not what the faithful slave’s assignment is.
What happens when you come across new evidence you hadn’t considered before ? How would you feel about people not listening to your side of the story are they closed minded? ________
YK: The apostate’s side of the story is slanderous and breathes murder against the brothers. The Psalms rightly commend Jehovah’s loyal ones for stopping up their ears to such things. I can say as one who has considered both sides that apostates have absolutely nothing of value.
Are only the society allowed to look at apostate books , if they don’t how do they know what is in there?_____
No, we are allowed to read whatever we what. But the Society warns of the danger. Look at yourself. You have read apostate books. Have you been benefited. Perhaps in your imagination you feel that you have been liberated from the evil empire, but in reality you have consented to allow yourself to be robbed of your faith. If apostates have anything of value to share with Jehovah’s Witnesses, please enlighten me. What do you have that all of Jehovah’s Witnesses need?
8 144,00
a. How many bible students and Jehovah’s witnesses in total have claimed to be anointed? We would need to know this figure and add it to those we know of in the first century plus a estimate of the 1800 years in-between to see if they tally with 144,000. _______
YK: LOL. Go for it man!
b. Why are they considered to be instantly perfect in heaven when those resurrected to earth are not? What is different about the people that go to heaven that allows god to grant everlasting life immediately but those on earth have to endure another test? _______
YK: You should perhaps read the Christian Greek Scriptures and dump the gospel of Ray Franz in the trash where it belongs? / You Know
