Posts by MichaelM

101

I've been studying with JW's for a few months..

by MichaelM in

jw
friends

i've been studying with the jw's for a few months and i've attended a few meetings but things are feeling somewhat strange...i don't quite get the jist of things but i feel that i'm learning more of what the watchtower teachers and less of what the bible actually says.. i never open my bible.. i'm always reading the watchtower pamphlets.

i really like the people i've met in the congregation and the guy thats been doing the studies with me has been an awesome friend.. .

but i'm just having some issues.. i mean.. they translated their own bible to suit their own doctrines it seems.

MichaelM

Welcome Michael. Use that same logic and ask yourself , Would a loving God only allow the JW to survive and kill everyone else on earth simply because they did not feel like listening to two stranges knocking at their door on a Sunday morning? Also ask what message do they bring to the door? Is there a message or just a magazine or book placement? If JW were really interested in reaching as many people as possible because they truely believe that they are the only ones on earth that have the "truth" would they not use modern technology and the media to reach many people. Going from door to door may have been the only means of getting the message across in bible times but it's not very effective now.

I agree with that and it helps me in my thinking. It saddens me that you had to experience such a thing first hand without the help of others as everyones helping me.I'm really glad that I found this place to chat with you guys I'll respond more to tehse informative posts when I get back.... and.. I'm gonna post in a little while actually.. I just made insta plans for food, and my friend is bringing me over an New International version of the bible. I'l be back soon to post. Oh! and if anyones still interested, not to be selfish, but i can tell anotehr story of todays talk with Russ and what he said to me about how i'm starting to sway away more from the watchtower and how he thinks im "hoopy" and that i'm too wishy washy. I'll post in an hour or a bit longer.

101

I've been studying with JW's for a few months..

by MichaelM in

jw
friends

i've been studying with the jw's for a few months and i've attended a few meetings but things are feeling somewhat strange...i don't quite get the jist of things but i feel that i'm learning more of what the watchtower teachers and less of what the bible actually says.. i never open my bible.. i'm always reading the watchtower pamphlets.

i really like the people i've met in the congregation and the guy thats been doing the studies with me has been an awesome friend.. .

but i'm just having some issues.. i mean.. they translated their own bible to suit their own doctrines it seems.

MichaelM

*blinks* Ahh, im heading to bed here in just two minutes.. but to answer your question I stopped using my NWT and am now using the Macarthur Study bible (NKJ) and a regular Red letter edition of NKJ.

My baptist friend swears by the NIV (New International Version?).

101

I've been studying with JW's for a few months..

by MichaelM in

jw
friends

i've been studying with the jw's for a few months and i've attended a few meetings but things are feeling somewhat strange...i don't quite get the jist of things but i feel that i'm learning more of what the watchtower teachers and less of what the bible actually says.. i never open my bible.. i'm always reading the watchtower pamphlets.

i really like the people i've met in the congregation and the guy thats been doing the studies with me has been an awesome friend.. .

but i'm just having some issues.. i mean.. they translated their own bible to suit their own doctrines it seems.

MichaelM

Thanks for the compliments. I think i'll use the back off of the study thing.. I have a feeling that getting into a big debate would now be a waste of time.. I know he could be me in an arguement.. He could probably use some logic to convince me that we've never been in space before. Hehe.. to win the dumb debate! 40% is the gesture, 50% is how you say it.. and 10% is what you actually say!" my friend said something like that on false debates..

I'll stick to these forums and check out all the topics and fill myself with new information.. My eyes are a bit more opened now... And you know after I think about it, I almost didn't come back. After my first topic here, and seing the strange responses I ran away in fear but now i'm glad I decided to check it out.

OH! another thing he said to me today when I was being negative about the watchtower.. he said something along these lines "See, this is whats going on.. Satan knows your so close to the truth, hes pulling you away, all the false religions are trying to grab you at the same time, they don't you to have the truth.. Just as your about to find it, Satan will find a way to pursuade you." thats not 100% but it was something like that.

Anywho, I think i'm gonna crack open my book and read Luke and Acts, my buddy reccomended them, as I never did a whole lot of New Testament reading when I did the little studies.. Infact, all my studies consisted of watchtowers, that little blue book that reads "The truth to everlasting life" or something like that.

101

I've been studying with JW's for a few months..

by MichaelM in

jw
friends

i've been studying with the jw's for a few months and i've attended a few meetings but things are feeling somewhat strange...i don't quite get the jist of things but i feel that i'm learning more of what the watchtower teachers and less of what the bible actually says.. i never open my bible.. i'm always reading the watchtower pamphlets.

i really like the people i've met in the congregation and the guy thats been doing the studies with me has been an awesome friend.. .

but i'm just having some issues.. i mean.. they translated their own bible to suit their own doctrines it seems.

MichaelM

I've already asked him yesterday I said.. "If I have a problem with the Watchtower and the Jehovahs witnesses and I don't go to the meetings and don't get baptized, will you think less of me?" and he said "Oh yes, much less." and I said "But we would still be friends right?" and he said "Yes, your a good guy and even though your boring, you have an open mind and like listening to things i have to say".

I fear that if i don't become a Witness our friendship will eventually widdle away. I know , almost for certain that if I became a Baptist, just as an example, i would not openly go say hi to him out of fear.

101

I've been studying with JW's for a few months..

by MichaelM in

jw
friends

i've been studying with the jw's for a few months and i've attended a few meetings but things are feeling somewhat strange...i don't quite get the jist of things but i feel that i'm learning more of what the watchtower teachers and less of what the bible actually says.. i never open my bible.. i'm always reading the watchtower pamphlets.

i really like the people i've met in the congregation and the guy thats been doing the studies with me has been an awesome friend.. .

but i'm just having some issues.. i mean.. they translated their own bible to suit their own doctrines it seems.

MichaelM

I really appreciate that Vernon Williams. Your going on on a ledge to help me understand things, and that really means something. But not just you, everyone here helping me with my problem of understanding these things.

I feel, really happy today.

101

I've been studying with JW's for a few months..

by MichaelM in

jw
friends

i've been studying with the jw's for a few months and i've attended a few meetings but things are feeling somewhat strange...i don't quite get the jist of things but i feel that i'm learning more of what the watchtower teachers and less of what the bible actually says.. i never open my bible.. i'm always reading the watchtower pamphlets.

i really like the people i've met in the congregation and the guy thats been doing the studies with me has been an awesome friend.. .

but i'm just having some issues.. i mean.. they translated their own bible to suit their own doctrines it seems.

MichaelM

I know your painting a solid picture but its not as bad as that. Hes a genuinely nice guy. he's around 60, has owned and ran his own stores before, he seems fairly smart, hes a white or black kind of guy, nothing in between. Another issue here if i didn't mention this before.. It would be crucial to say as well.. Hes like a father figure to me. I never really had much of a father at all as i grew up and hes the first older man to really put sense into me. It's not just the Witness thing.. he helped me with a lot of other situations like relationships and work related issues, arguements.. Sometimes before i got more into the bible study, i'd tell him for opinions not based on Jehovah and he wouldn't have a problem with that.

101

I've been studying with JW's for a few months..

by MichaelM in

jw
friends

i've been studying with the jw's for a few months and i've attended a few meetings but things are feeling somewhat strange...i don't quite get the jist of things but i feel that i'm learning more of what the watchtower teachers and less of what the bible actually says.. i never open my bible.. i'm always reading the watchtower pamphlets.

i really like the people i've met in the congregation and the guy thats been doing the studies with me has been an awesome friend.. .

but i'm just having some issues.. i mean.. they translated their own bible to suit their own doctrines it seems.

MichaelM

REALLY? that would awesome! I know he would do it too. He loves that kind of stuff. he WANTS people to try and prove him wrong. The issue is though the time we talk is when he runs his business, a little food place, him and his wife run it together and sell hotdogs and burgers and stuff, he doesn't work much, she does all the work and he just talks to his customers so it couldn't take place there it'd have to be at his house, but hes near crippled (truthfully is) so when he gets home he drinks up a storm, but maybe he wont if i tell him about a phone convo.

24

Why isn' the name "Jehovah" used?

by MichaelM in

is it because many believe that jesus christ / god / holy spirit are all one being, and after jesus christ was born they stopped using god's name and put all focus on jesus?

.

MichaelM

Awesome replies guys. Especially that long one by Jwfacts, thanks. I'm gonna copy and paste all that and show it to the witness I study with. This could be interesting. However.. his logic will somehow demolish it, twisted or not.

101

I've been studying with JW's for a few months..

by MichaelM in

jw
friends

i've been studying with the jw's for a few months and i've attended a few meetings but things are feeling somewhat strange...i don't quite get the jist of things but i feel that i'm learning more of what the watchtower teachers and less of what the bible actually says.. i never open my bible.. i'm always reading the watchtower pamphlets.

i really like the people i've met in the congregation and the guy thats been doing the studies with me has been an awesome friend.. .

but i'm just having some issues.. i mean.. they translated their own bible to suit their own doctrines it seems.

MichaelM

I'm bad at putting knowledge together that i've gained from the help of many of you, and i really appreciate it. However.. I let my friend know about my troubles.. Concerning things based on the watchtower, I showed him the book "Jehovah's witnesses" by David A Reed and he used some kind of logic to use against most everything the guy said, and refused most of it.

My problem is.. This man that I study with, while a great friend, and has shown trustworthyness, and hes fairly funny on occasion and talkative.. He has power in his voice, hes a loud person.. he claims to be very logical, and he knows im VERY weak when it comes to debating things.. I feel that even if i present the strongest of arguements that he will somehow find a way around it.

Could anyone help me with some things to ask him? He called me tonight and said "I want you to give me all that you can, all the crap you can find, against the JW's, use it against me. I'll show you that I can explain everything, and if not.. if you find something that i can't answer and contradicts the witnesses and their current teachings, i'll join your religion , or hop on your boat, ya know?"

The issue here is.. I've talked to him about some watchtower past failures, like predicting things that didn't happen.. and he said "yes the watchtower makes mistakes and we try to correct them" etc. I've got to find some solid questions.. that can hold their own without me having to put a huge presentation to them because i'm not good at that. In his phonecall tonight he said "Michael, your very logical. your a real logical person, and i know your just a littel confused, but you'll get through all this and all the nonsense that your diving into. You'll realize that we have the truth and theres nothing to worry about. Maybe i'll grab a few witnesses and we can all talk with you."

That almost made me feel VERY uncomfortable.. but giving him the benefit of the doubt, he probably just wants me to see other witnesses oppinions. I'm somehow going to have to back up these questions too.. I want to go to that website the 6 screens of the watchtower or whatever.. I found some good stuff on there.. but i'll have to put it on disc or something, his computer doesn't have internet.

24

Why isn' the name "Jehovah" used?

by MichaelM in

is it because many believe that jesus christ / god / holy spirit are all one being, and after jesus christ was born they stopped using god's name and put all focus on jesus?

.

MichaelM

Is it because many believe that Jesus Christ / God / Holy spirit are all one being, and after Jesus Christ was born they stopped using God's name and put all focus on Jesus?