Did you expect all non-Witnesses to die at Armageddon?

by Apognophos 20 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  Apognophos

  Apologies if this has been asked before, but I couldn't find a thread where the focus was specifically this yes-or-no question. Reach back in your memories to when you were at the peak of your faith in the religion, and tell me honestly:

  "Did you, personally, believe that non-Witnesses would die at Armageddon, even if they hadn't gotten to hear the message at all?"

  Since people constantly bring this up as a big problem with Witness beliefs, I wanted to get a sense of the ratio of this teaching's believers/non-believers. Though I don't know if this group's former beliefs can be representative of the beliefs of the average JW who has chosen to stay in the religion
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  cultBgone

  Even as a piousneer, this bothered me greatly and was one of the reasons I began thinking more critically about jdub beliefs. So...No.
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  prologos

  I believed that Armageddon was only against the armies that were poised to destroy the earth; --of course there might be some co-lateral damage.--
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  gma-tired2

  Wow we are all exJWs but we were all led to have slightly different belief. In 50s taught no one but JWs would survive Armegeddon.
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  jwfacts

  I believed it, since that is what the Watchtower taught, but was greatly troubled by it. My mother believed it and felt Worldly people deserved it. My CO father though did not, but felt God will judge hearts. That came as a shock.
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  prologos

  To those that insisted that all non jw would die in the great tribulation, not armageddon, which i took to be a war between armies, i replied : you mmight be right, if the atrocities against JWs would reach a point ( and I survived ww 2) that ouright removal was the only option.

  I thought that Armageddon was only the final, only nuclear equipped armies on all sides.

  To join the Pioneer, special pioneer ranks, you had to sign a declartion that you agreed with, and teach only WT doctrine. I thought that was WT doctrine.
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  OneEyedJoe

  I never believed it.
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  DesirousOfChange

  Of course.

  Doesn't every religion believe it is the only path to salvation?

  Doc
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  Bella15

  Yes. Everybody but JWs would survive.
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  stuckinarut2

  Yes, I sincerely followed the official teaching that everyone that had received a witness of some sort and did not then accept the truth would be killed....and I thought that was perfectly acceptable and normal!

  How crazy is it to be indoctrinated with such stuff! Sick really....