by lambsbottom 35 Replies latest watchtower bible
As if hearing the kingdom message or hearing the name Jehovah, is the determining factor.
That is not what made the difference at the passover. They had to put the blood on the doorpost to get passed over by the angel.
Hearing the kingdom message is not putting the blood of Jesus where the angels can see it.
There was a Witchtower study in the mid 80s that said when Armageddon comes, nobody would have the excuse they never heard the message, because they should have been searching for it, if they had the right heart condition.
I can't understand how this can even be debated because the illogic of it ethically, theologically, and mathematically is beyond question.
1. At every minute of every day (all 24 hours) women are in various stages of pregnancy. If Jehovah was going to be concerned
about every living person he'd have to draw an arbitrary line beyond which (and before which) you get in free or you are toast.
This would have about as much to do with Justice and Mercy as a coin flip.
2. In previous (biblical) historical holacausts no care was taken over babies in the womb, small children or mentally vague persons.
3. Life and Death are of sole importance to humanity, but apparently only collateral concern to deity.
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What could be more pointless than trying to get people to hold in their mind spiritual and doctrinal concepts?
You don't cause harm unless you behave a certain way.
Think of the worst case example: Think a a person with sociopathic tendencies who watches child pornography, hates humanity, and fantasizes about
cannibalism. Pretty nasty character, right? Right!
But--until this creep steps out of the "thinking" into the DOING--he's guilty only of corrupt mindset.
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All these shades of gray on the black and white scale of SALVATION/DESTRUCTION are totally irrelevant to Jehovah's Witness leaders.
They are mainly concerned with giving the cosmetic appearance of loving fairness on the part of their Brand Name product: JEHOVAH.
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An alcoholic can hit bottom and decide to turn his life around. He never takes another drink. But, he is always an alcoholic, right?
The same is true of anything called "evil" or sinful. As long as the craving is present --even without the behavior--you are regarded
by those pure at heart as someone probationary.
In mainstream Christianity, God totally forgives without exacting an ongoing price. Christendom's view is--of course you'll sin again and again--but you are ALREADY forgiven.
Jehovah's Witnesses are much much harder to please! You have to earn your way into paradise at every tick of the secondhand on the countdown clock to Armageddon.
Wariness is the hallmark of their creed.
This: " They are mainly concerned with giving the cosmetic appearance of loving fairness on the part of their Brand Name product: JEHOVAH."
DD
JWs focus almost exclusively on 'surviving Armageddon' and thus cheating death. As with most Christian religions, the focus is on DEATH. Religion seems to be a major way that people deal with the 'problem' of death. Mainly that it can somehow be 'survived' in one form or another. Really folks, what's the big deal about death? Everything that is alive eventually dies.....birds, fish, plants, insects, animals, reptiles, etc. They don't have an 'afterlife' and neither do humans. When we die, we die. Gone forever. That's the reality, and no amount of Magical Thinking can make it otherwise. So live your life NOW, and make the most of the time you are alive. This is it!!
Navytown,
you are a genius!
When I converted to the religion in 1968, we were told that a witness would have to be given to everyone on earth before the end would come, and that Jehovah would "speed it up in his own time", and that even nations like China, where there were almost no JWs, would get a chance to reject or accept the message. It was a mark of how naive I was that I actually believed that. There were millions of people in China who had never heard of Jehovah's Witnesses, or even Jehovah, it was silly to think that they would somehow get witnessed to by the less than one million JWs worldwide at the time, few who spoke chinese, and that it would happen before the expected end date of 1975.
Here we are 46 years later, and not really much closer to having any kind of effective witness be given to people in China. I guess they are just SOL.
There is the official answer, and then the vaguaries the Watchtower leaves open, so that it can still attract new people and not offend JWs that are not totally heartless.
Salvation only for Jehovah's Witnesses shows numerous quotes that only active, baptised JWs will be saved (and their minor children). This is reinforced by concepts such as you needed to be on the ark to be saved in the flood. Not everyone on earth was contacted by Noah, but they all drowned nonetheless.
But the Watchtower opens it up by saying things like, "It is up to God to judge." It makes it seem God may allow some others to be saved, and some JWs take it that way to appease their own consciences, but that does not mean what it seems, as the doctrine is God will not save someone that is not a baptised active JW. So it is a dishonest misdirection.
The dishonesty can be seen in the following quote. It actually says that it is not only Jws that will be saved, but goes on to show that it is only Jws that will be saved.
" Do You Feel That You Are the Only People Who Will Be Saved?
No. Many millions who lived in centuries past and who weren’t Jehovah’s Witnesses will have an opportunity for salvation. The Bible explains that in God’s promised new world, “there is going to be a resurrection of both the righteous and the unrighteous.” (Acts 24:15) Additionally, many now living may yet begin to serve God, and they too will gain salvation. In any case, it’s not our job to judge who will or won’t be saved. That assignment rests squarely in Jesus’ hands."
objectivetruth: Interesting analysis!
Apog: Crazyguy and ADCMS, you should read blondie's quotes again. The Society is not saying that those who do not hear the message will survive.
Apog, the WT is not consistent on this subject and opinions vary among JWs themselves, which betrays how the WT vascillates. Read JW Facts' comments.
There's what is in print and there's the way things really are. You should know this, Apog.
WT's answers on virtually any subject are contextual, and it has no problem waffling when the 'official' answer is too difficult to honestly address. Blondie's quotes are from '00, '07 and '10...ancient history in WT Land and subject to revision ad nauseum.
