by VM44 8 Replies latest jw experiences
If you mention "God's Plan" to a JW, an immediate response will often be "God does not
have plans, He has a Purpose"
Why is this such a sensitive point with the JWs? I have never thought it was a big deal.
The distinction between Plan and Purpose must have started during the Rutherford years, as
one of Russell's books was entitled "God's Plan of the Ages" (or something close to that!)
Useless nitpicking about words is something I would expect Rutherford as a lawyer
would do.
--VM44
I remember that particular bit of stupidity rather well. Someone should buy the Society a dictionary.
I also remember a circuit overseer hitting the roof over another harmless phrase. Our congregation shared a hall with another cong. Someone made the mistake of referring to the other cong as the "other side". We're all on the same side, you know.
Could use of the word "plan" intimate predestination?
Nikita
As it was explained to me, the word "plan" implies uncertainty, whereas "purpose" implies definiteness - people "plan", but God "purposes".
This distinction doesn't make sense on numerous levels.
Umm... I forget already, does god have a plan or a purpose?? No wonder i didn't stay a dub. Is it circuit overseer, or circuit servant? It's so difficult keeping up w god's speeding chariot (wt refinments).
SS
I have heard JWs say that a "plan" suggests that it could possibly be changed or even foiled by someone other than its designer.
And that a "purpose" cannot be changed or aborted, except by the designer.
You "purpose" to build a house, though, your specific architectual "plan" for it may change a few times before you actually complete your "purpose" of building a house.
In JW language......... Jehovah's "purpose" is for obedient humans to live forever in Paradise Earth. How Jehovah accomplishes could be in several different ways..... 1.) Just create one man & one woman to populate and care for the Paradise Earth, happily ever after. 2.) Resurrect only natural born Israelites to heaven in rule and help manage humans the Paradise Earth. 3.) Resurrect a variety of 144,000 Christians to heaven, kill off all the bad people and then help rule and manage the obedient survivors in a Paradise Earth. Or 4.) Just start all over again. Whatever the case may be........ Jehovah's "purpose" will never change..... that of obedient, perfect humans living forever in a Paradise Earth........
When I read the definitions of the two words in English dictionaries, they appear to share almost the exact same definition.
So, unless there is some specific difference in the original Hebrew/Greek words for "plan" and "purpose", which there may be, it seems to be just another typical JW opinion on word definition.
They just want to be different, sounds too much like Christendom "God has a plan for your life".
Also it (plan) smacks of God being interested in individuals rather than the organisation, for instance, Gods purpose is for 144000+1 to rule over mankind. But for individual members God has no plan, since individuals fall away from the org and memebers of the anointed become unfaithful, so God just fills up the vacancies and his purpose remains the same "144000 rule over the earth", however he didnt have a plan for the individual....you get the drift? um? Not very clear am I...its my accent ya know.
Brummie
Just more pedantic rubbish from them.
Brummie, made sense to me!
