tug of war ensuing

by And1 43 Replies latest jw friends

  • 95stormfront
    95stormfront
    it appears Ive angered some and thats understandable. the truth....blah blah, who cares??? to my knowledge "The Truth" is another way of saying "Im a witness" ....................... Yes, I dont accept it as the truth, its just a way of saying it. Some of my best friends are witnesses and part of me feels reluctant to talk to them about anything I have concern with

    Challenge your "friends" in even a small degree on the WT being the chosen organization of Jehovah or what they believe as being anything other than "the truth" and you'll come to know how much of a big deal it is as evidenced by your reluctance to talk to them about "concerns" you may have.

    Have you ever asked yourself why you "feel" they way you do about asking questions around them?

    Perhaps, the very reason is because they subtly let you know that if you question them too deliberately, that your frienship with them will be summarily "kicked to the curb".

  • seven006
    seven006

    ***Some of my best friends are witnesses and part of me feels reluctant to talk to them about anything I have concern with. ***

    Get use to it. That in itself should make a person who has the ability to be honest with themselves do a little thinking.

    Have fun and remember, turning in your time is the key to everlasting life.

    Take care,

    Dave

  • PointBlank
    PointBlank

    Hi And1 and welcome to the board. First of all, I think you should be commended for seeking more than one side of an issue. A person's faith is very important, but it is also extremely personal. That makes you personally responsible for the direction of that faith. You said:

    when I ask JW friends why ppl fall out of the truth, the answer is "they couldnt handle it" --- "they wanted to do things their way not God's"

    These are ridiculous statements. Life is much simpler when a person hands over their every semblance of individualism and freedom to a group of leaders that define, outline and enforce their every thought, belief and action. JW's live a life that's accountable, not to God, but to a psuedo-religious mag/book publishing empire. They share a false sense of security, thinking that as long as they follow their leaders edicts, then that will somehow save them through the great tribulation right into the new system. And if they die before then, they'll at least get a resurrection into that JW filled future. It's simply not so. Nobody can work their way to paradise. And JW's are in for a great disappointment.

    The truth is that being free from that religion takes a person of great mental and emotional stamina. It takes a person of immense personal integrity to brave a path in search of Christian freedom. The truth is that many people who've left haven't arrived at that destination yet. They're still on their own personal path. Some may never get there. But to many the journey is better than being smothered under the slavery of an organization that claims they're the mouthpiece of God...a claim incidentally that is blasphemous to the God of Heaven.

    I left because the 'truth' is not to be found within the WT organization, or in religion for that matter. I left because a relationship with God is and always has been more important to me than the acceptance of a particular group of people. I left because God wanted me to, and I'd rather do things God's way instead of the Watchtower Society's way.

    PB

    BTW, the Truth is a person.

  • outbutnotdown
    outbutnotdown
    Hopefully some day your brother will take those words back and apolagize.

    xjw_b12,

    Five years later he did, sort of. (I just thank God it wasn't before I had left for good!! Who knows where I'd be now. )

    But honestly, when I told him what I felt about his condemnation, he said, in a very matter of fact way, "I was only saying that to try to get you to come back." From the mouths of spiritual babes!!

    His next silly defensive comment was that the only reason he is a Jehovah's Witness is because there is NOTHING better out in the "world". He was born and raised a JW. He knows nothing at all about the "world" other than their evil view of it. Poor guy!!

    I think my brother is almost ready to break free, though. *crosses fingers*

    Brad

  • kls
    kls

    I think my brother is almost ready to break free, though. *crosses fingers







  • And1
    And1

    they love to say they 'don't interpret the Bible, they let the Bible interpret itself.' Of course, if that were really true, there would be no need for Watchtower's, books, cd's, or even meetings of a doctrinal nature. The Bible would interpret itself, why discuss it?

    ...exactly.

    I'll challenge them when I get more info - facts. Part of me doesnt want to debate however. IF THEY BELIEVE - thats all that matters sometimes....u know

  • And1
    And1

    no one likes to be told "This is the way you should live your life" another quote that pops up regularly with the person i study with. It seems they can preach to us but we cant preach to them.

  • kls
    kls

    And1 said,,,IF THEY BELIEVE - thats all that matters sometimes.


    Its not that simple . Look up cults and see how Mind Manipulation / Brainwashing works.


    This will give you a better understanding .

  • And1
    And1

    What are some good questions to ask the Witness camp?

  • IP_SEC
    IP_SEC

    1. Why is every number in revelation symbolic except for 144000?
    2. Why do we believe that the 144000 hadn?t been finished by 1930 when the bible and history clearly indicate it could have easily been filled early in the last half of the 1st century?
    3. Acts 21:20 in the original Greek says there were ?many myriads? of Jewish Christians: in the Greek a myriad is either ten thousand or an incalculable number. If there were many tens of thousands of Christian in the Jerusalem congregation by at most 60 C.E., would this not lend credence to the 144000 being filled by the end of the 1st century with 40 years of growth to take place including the growth of the gentile congregation? If it is an incalculable number doesn?t that show that the 1st century Christians were not centrally governed since they didn?t have a population count? Didn?t turn in time to the older men in Jerusalem? After all, Acts 21:20 is referring to the Jerusalem congregation.
    4. Why is the only thing we believe from Russell?s time that the Gentile times ended in 1914?
    5. Why is the only thing we believe from Rutherford?s time that 1935 was the last year to become one of the ?little flock?, who the great crowd is, and to advertise the kingdom?
    6. Why do modern publications say that Russell believed Christ?s Parousia began in 1914, when reading his works clearly shows that he believed it began in 1874 up until his death?
    7. Why do I have to go to the internet to read the founder of the movement?s books?
    8. Would they not easily fit on the WT library CDROM?
    9. Why do we give prophetic significance to the Faithful & Discreet Slave of Matthew 24 when in actuality it was just a parable?
    10. The Governing Body is said to be the Faithful & Discreet Slave?s representatives. Since when does a slave have a representative?
    11. If the Governing Body is the representative of the Faithful & Discreet Slave, why does it not consult with the slave before making a decision?
    12. In Revelation the term ?a great crowd is used twice, once at 7:9 and 19:1. At 7:9 they are placed ?in sight of the throne? according to the original Greek which does not necessarily exclude their placement from heaven or earth. At 19:1 they are placed definitely in heaven. Their words are nearly identical to the great crowd?s words at 7:9. If Revelation 7:9 is a cornerstone teaching of Jehovah?s Witnesses that the great crowd is to live on earth, why does the Society not clarify 19:1?
    13. Where in the bible is the destiny of the little flock and other sheep shown to be different?
    14. When Jesus talked about the little flock and other sheep, he was speaking to Jews. Is it not more reasonable and simple an explanation that the other sheep that would be brought in to the one flock are the gentiles?
    15. Where does the bible say that only the Governing Body can understand the scriptures?
    16. When in history has God?s word only been interpretable by a few select men?
    17. Could the Pentateuch be interpreted only by the Governing Body? The Books of the Kings? The Psalms? The Prophets?
    18. Since these books could be understood with out the help of the Governing Body in Israel and they make up the largest portion of the bible do we only need the Governing Body?s help to understand the Greek Scriptures?
    19. Did the Faithful & Discreet Slave exist during the apostasy?
    20. How were they acceptable to Jehovah without a true organization to attach to?
    21. If they Governing Body are truly being used by God, how can they teach things in the past that becomes apostate teaching in the present with the advent of some new light?
    22. Is there any evidence of Gods people relying on new light in the ancient past?
    23. Was the complex Law of Moses revealed progressively for the benefit of the Israelites?
    24. If not why would the relatively simple Law of the Christ be revealed progressively?
    25. Did Christ progressively teach the early Congregation with new light?
    26. How did the early congregation come to be completely up to speed with the truth at most by 70 C.E., but Jehovah?s Witnesses still receive new light 126 years in to their modern history?
    27. If a bible student can accept the whole range of very radical changes of Witness teachings in as little as 6 months, why do we need progressive light to make even slight adjustments today?
    28. How is it that Jehovah?s Witnesses encourage students to challenge their religion in the light of the bible, but once they are baptized it is a sin to challenge the teachings of the Governing Body?
    29. Why did Jesus say to baptize in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, but Jehovah?s Witnesses baptize in the name of the Father, the Son and the spirit directed organization?
    30. Referring to the Memorial of Christ death he said ?keep doing this in remembrance of me? Since his body and blood were the means by which all can get life. Why do most of Jehovah?s witnesses reject partaking of that body symbolically?
    31. Jesus said to the Jews, who had no concept of being resurrected to heaven that they would have to eat his body and drink his blood to be raised in the last day. Why do most of Jehovah?s witnesses reject partaking of that body symbolically?
    32. Jehovah?s Witnesses avoid pagan holidays, so why do they practice what would be considered a Black Mass by Devil Worshipers and the people of Christendom alike on the memorial of Christ death by rejecting the emblems? (Black Masses are a parody of the last supper performed in many ways, perhaps by defiling the emblems or accepting them but returning them uneaten to the officiating priest thereby saying ?NO? to the body and blood of Christ)
    33. Did the 1st century congregations send all judicial correspondence to the older men in Jerusalem in a blue envelope?
    34. Did they send any judicial correspondence to the older men in Jerusalem?
    35. How is it that the Israelites were condemned for making laws as a hedge around the Mosaic Law but the Governing Body makes the same kinds of oppressive laws whether there is or isn?t clear bible law involved? (Smoking, birthdays, beards, suits & tie, coat on stage, turning in time to be considered a Christian, oral sex, anal sex, etc)
    36. Was this really food at the proper time?
    A. Rape is considered pornia for the victim if he/she didn?t scream before 2003
    B. Before the 1952 vaccines were an abomination that could result in disfellowshiping
    C. Before 1983 organ transplants are considered cannibalism and could result in disfellowshiping
    37. How many sisters were disfellowshipped for being raped and not screaming?
    38. How many sisters were dragged before a judicial hearing to find out if they screamed or not?
    39. How many sisters were scarred for thinking they committed pornia by being raped when they were too afraid to scream?
    40. How many raped sisters were apologized to when new light came out in 2003
    41. How many were disfellowshipped for taking a vaccine?
    42. How many died as a result of not taking a vaccine?
    43. How many disfellowshipped for taking a vaccine were allowed to come back to the congregation, given their old status back?
    44. How many died as a result of not taking an organ transplant?
    45. How many were disfellowshipped for it?
    46. In 1983 did they get an apology?
    47. In 1983 did those disfellowshipped get an automatic reinstatement?
    48. In 1983 did the new light bring those back to life for following a false teaching on organ transplants?
    49. Did Jehovah?s true prophet falsely claim that the end would come in 1914? 1915? 1918? 1919? (Deut 18:20-22)
    50. Did Jehovah?s true prophet falsely claim that the year 1925 ?is a date even more clearly marked in the scriptures than 1914?? (Deut 18:20-22)
    51. Did Jehovah?s true prophet say that ?There will be no slip-up...Abraham should enter upon the actual possession of his promised inheritance in the year 1925?? (Deut 18:20-22)
    52. In the famous talk Millions no living will never die did Jehovah?s true prophet say ?Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old?? (Deut 18:20-22)
    53. In the 9/15/41 watchtower did Jehovah?s prophet claim that Christians should preach more urgently ?in the coming months before Armageddon?? (Deut 18:20-22)
    54. From 1966 to 1975 did Jehovah?s true prophet really say that ?It would not be by mere chance or accident but would be according to the loving purpose of Jehovah God for the reign of Jesus Christ, the 'Lord of the Sabbath,' to run parallel with the seventh millennium of man's existence." {LEIF -30} (Deut 18:20-22) too many quotes on 1975 in those years.
    55. From at least the 1950s until 1995 did Jehovah?s true prophet really say that the generation that ?saw? 1914 would not pass away before the end of this system? (Deut 18:20-22) too many quotes on the generation.
    56. Why is it that Jesus did more physically & materially for those who weren?t his disciples than he did for his followers yet Jehovah?s Witnesses only help fellow brothers materially?
    57. Why do Jehovah?s witnesses stick to the year 537 B.C.E for Jewish repatriation based on secular history, but when there is even more compelling evidence for 586/7 for the destruction of Jerusalem they still believe in the discredited 607 date?
    58. Why do the scholars at the Society quote Flavius Josephus? Jewish Antiquities in reference to the 70 year desolation of Judah and the temple, but fail to mention he later refers to a 50 year exile? 537+50=587
    59. If I add up all of the regnal years of each Babylonian monarch as they appear in the Society?s literature, why do I end up only back at 587 for the 19th year of Nebuchadnezzar?
    60. Why does the Egyptian date of Pharaoh Neco?s reign corroborate the Babylonian chronology for 587 as the destruction of Jerusalem?
    61. Is it not true that the neo Babylonian documents you try to discredit as foraged are actually verified by over 2500 independent cuneiform business documents from the era stating the monarch and the date, to the point that they can be used to establish the beginning and ending month of each monarch?s rule?
    62. Is in not true that the neo Babylonian documents you try to discredit as foraged have been proven accurate because they contain reference to verified astrological occurrences (eclipses, and constellation positions) which happened within the years in question but not if we move back 20 years to a 607 staring point?
    63. Is it not true that your ancient historian of choice, Flavius Josephus, uses the documents you try to discredit as foraged in his Antiquities?
    64. Does the 587 date for the destruction of Jerusalem really conflict with the bible?s prophesy or just your 1914 chronology?
    65. Isn?t the 70 years of Babylonian superiority prophesied by Jeremiah, Daniel and others, independent of the destruction of the city?
    66. Is the growth in the Organization a sign of Jehovah?s favor?
    67. Why has the organization?s growth been negative for blank years in view of the campaign to assist the inactive and counting 15 minute elderly/sick publishers?
    68. Is because the love of the greater number cooling off?
    69. If so, can we really have it both ways and attribute growth to Jehovah?s approval?

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