I'm interested in discussing basic JW doctrines that you believe are unscriptural

by AlainAlam 49 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  AlainAlam

  The Fall Guy, good point about Romans 6.7. Actually I noticed this several years when discussing hellfire with a Protestant. When talking about the "wages for sin is death" thing, he kept saying that "death" meant spiritual death. Gen "you will die", spiritual. Romans 5.12, spiritual death. And Romans 6.7, spiritual death. I told him it obviously wasn't the case, that Adam and Eve did literally die because of their sin, and that we literally die because of inherited sin. However, I wondered about 6.7. When I went back home, I opened Romans 6 to read the context, and noticed what you just said - he's obviously talking about spiritual death.

  I like the added value of what you said on the blood of Christ being the basis of forgiveness of sins.

  I think the Bible is so incoherent that we need a lot of twisting to try and make sense out of it.
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  AlainAlam

  Giordano 67% of JW born-ins stop identifying as JW's, interesting, do you have a reference for this?

  And thanks for your advice! Yes, I know there's nothing worthwhile in the Bible :) I'm not looking for a "refined truth" here. I mentioned above while I'm asking if you'd like to scroll up.

  Thanks everyone!!
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  Giordano

  See below:
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  Giordano

  Sorry AA I normally put a citation in.

  The Following is the Pew religious Survey:

  https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2016/04/26/a-closer-look-at-jehovahs-witnesses-living-in-the-u-s/ft_16-04-26_jehovahswitnesses-1/
  

  Jehovah’s Witnesses have a low retention rate relative to other U.S. religious groups. Among all U.S. adults who were raised as Jehovah’s Witnesses, two-thirds (66%) no longer identify with the group. By contrast, about two-thirds of those who were raised as evangelical Protestants (65%) and Mormons (64%) still say they are members of those respective groups.

  They are now last in higher education.

  
  
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  joey jojo

  Hi A. A.

  In my experience, after 20 odd years of searching for the real truth, I've found that the deeper you dig, the more crumbled the foundations of belief get.

  You are talking about doctrines based on a book that has contradictions, errors and biases. Clever church leaders have used it to control people throughout the entire modern era.

  Doctrines of all churches are based on speculation, faith and interpretation. Jesus himself, who is God to some people, did not even state what the official canon of the bible should be, and neither did any of his apostles.

  Any discussion of doctrine is based on an assumption that the core structure is accurate.

  When it comes to the bible, that assumption is based on faith, which is not the same as truth.
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  AlainAlam

  Giordano, thank you!

  joey jojo, I agree!
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  AlainAlam

  10% of JW aren't sure God exists? 6% don't believe the Bible is the word of God? 50% don't believe in Heaven? 25% don't even care to pretend they're politically neutral? That poll is weird.
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  jp1692

  Hi Alain,

  Welcome to this forum.

  As far as religious doctrines go, JW or otherwise, they’re all bullshit. All of them.

  Abandon belief in myths and superstition and learn to think rationally. You’ll be much happier once you work through the pain of realizing how wrong you’ve been for so very, very long. Learn to embrace reality. It’s liberating.

  jp1692

  FULL DISCLOSURE: I was a JW for 25 years, 20 of which I was an elder. I left this religion because it became increasingly obvious it was just as false as all the other religions it hypocritically condemns—in many ways it is worse.

  Leaving it came at great personal cost. For the last decade I have been shunned by two of my adult children who remain members of the cult.

  Since leaving, I have earned a teaching credential and a Master’s Degree in Education. My expertise is in the sciences where I teach: Biology, Earth Sciences, Physics, and Psychology at the secondary levels with a specialization in Chemistry.
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  AlainAlam

  jp1692, yup, I no longer believe in Jehovah or the Bible. Actually I left because of the problems with Jehovah's personality and the Bible rather than because of problems with Jehovah's Witnesses as a people or organization. I've learned a lot and have benefited a lot from having been a witness for almost 20 years. But what's wrong is wrong.
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  TD

  On the question of scriptural vs. unscriptural teachings, one way to approach it is from the standpoint of things the JW's themselves don't believe to be scriptural.

  For example, unless I am very much mistaken, the JW's believe the "Book of Life" of Revelation 20 is not opened until the end of the millennium and this view follows directly from what they consider the "Resurrection of judgement" to be. (i.e. The vast majority of mankind are resurrected during the millennium and judged based on their conduct thereafter.)

  However it is not at all uncommon for JW's to insinuate, imply, or even openly state both in speech and in print that having ones name in the "Book of Life" is about survival of Armageddon and that your name is put into this book via organizational affiliation with the JW's.

  So an unscriptural teaching (By their own standards) is used for the sake of convenience as a sort of cattle prod vis-à-vis people they consider to be "inactive" or not otherwise doing enough.