The Watchtower takes the fragments of what is known regarding the purpose of man, fills in what is not known, then expects its followers to make sense of it. If God had absolute power to do anything, as many sectarian assume (but which the Bible doesn't say), why did it take Him seven "days" to complete the earth? Why didn't He just "speak" the earth into existence with merely a thought? And if He had limitless power, why did He not just forgive mankind without there having to be an atonement? It's clear from scripture that, if true, we're not being given the complete picture.
undeserved kindness vs. grace
by nowwhat? 13 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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AllTimeJeff
From the aspect of JW leadership, any word or phrase that can control will be used.
This thread brought to mind something I use to think about while pioneering. (aka riding in the back of a minivan for 5 hours a day). At my worst, before life taught me differently, I recall being annoyed at those grace filled, "forgiven" Christians I'd run into. Though I am not a believer, I can now totally dig why those people reacted that way to a controlling, controlled JW showing up at their door. I certainly think it is more mentally healthy, if you are going to be a theist, to have a dogma that is more freeing and affirming of the human spirit.
Not that it matters much to me anymore, but, i like grace. It's also a great U2 song. ;)
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fastJehu
An older thread about undeserved-kindness-vs-grace:
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Rainbow_Troll
"If someone says to us that God has rights but not responsibilities because He is stronger than we are, we say that this is what we mean by an impious saying. He may even dare to add that God is everything to us, but we are nothing to Him, whereas the contrary is true. God, who is infinitely greater than us, contracted an infinite debt in putting us into the world. He has dug the pit of human weakness which only He can fill in."
~ Eliphas Levi