Posts by pirata

however there were a couple of others that were never clearly answered and i have since discovered a noticable reluctance on the part of wt elders to discuss.

perhaps there is someone out there that can set me straight on the official position of the organization on this particular point.. question: is it officially true that to have a chance at eternal life here on paradise earth one must be a (1) baptized and (2) official member of a congregation of the jehova's witnesses and that no others outside the jws can hope to attain salvation.. this seems to be the predominate assumption in most of the teachings i have so far encountered.

pirata

Just be aware that if you voiced the same thoughts as a baptized witness, the Elders would try help you to "correct" your thinking, but if you "stubbornly" refuse to accept their correction, you could be disfellowshipped for disrupting unity or for apostasy.

Worship and study in groups is one thing

That is not encouraged among Jehovah's Witnesses (apart from the Family worship which is supposed to be small in size):

*** km 9/07 p. 3 Question Box ***
Question Box ? Does “the faithful and discreet slave” endorse independent groups of Witnesses who meet together to engage in Scriptural research or debate?—Matt. 24:45, 47.

No, it does not. And yet, in various parts of the world, a few associates of our organization have formed groups to do independent research on Bible-related subjects. Some have pursued an independent group study of Biblical Hebrew and Greek so as to analyze the accuracy of the New World Translation. Others explore scientific subjects related to the Bible. They have created Web sites and chat rooms for the purpose of exchanging and debating their views. They have also held conferences and produced publications to present their findings and to supplement what is provided at our Christian meetings and through our literature.
Throughout the earth, Jehovah’s people are receiving ample spiritual instruction and encouragement at congregation meetings, assemblies, and conventions, as well as through the publications of Jehovah’s organization. Under the guidance of his holy spirit and on the basis of his Word of truth, Jehovah provides what is needed so that all of
God’s people may be “fitly united in the same mind and in the same line of thought” and remain “stabilized in the faith.” (1 Cor. 1:10; Col. 2:6, 7) Surely we are grateful for Jehovah’s spiritual provisions in these last days. Thus, “the faithful and discreet slave” does not endorse any literature, meetings, or Web sites that are not produced or organized under its oversight. —Matt. 24:45-47.
It is commendable for individuals to want to use their thinking ability in support of the good news. However, no personal pursuit should detract from what Jesus Christ is accomplishing through his congregation on earth today. In the first century, the apostle Paul warned about getting involved in exhausting, time-consuming subjects, such as “genealogies, which end up in nothing, but which furnish questions for research rather than a dispensing of anything by God in connection with faith.” (1 Tim. 1:3-7) All Christians should strive to “shun foolish questionings and genealogies and strife and fights over the Law, for they are unprofitable and futile.”—Titus 3:9.
For those who wish to do extra Bible study and research, we recommend that they explore Insight on the Scriptures, “All Scripture Is Inspired of God and Beneficial,” and our other publications, such as those that discuss the prophecies found in the Bible books of Daniel, Isaiah, and Revelation. These provide abundant material for Bible study and meditation, whereby we can be “filled with the accurate knowledge of [God’s] will in all wisdom and spiritual comprehension, in order to walk worthily of Jehovah to the end of fully pleasing him as [we] go on bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the accurate knowledge of God.”—Col. 1:9, 10.

6

Official position on Salvation

by tiotuerto in

i became interested in jws about a year ago due to the favorable and believable answers to several questions that i had.

however there were a couple of others that were never clearly answered and i have since discovered a noticable reluctance on the part of wt elders to discuss.

perhaps there is someone out there that can set me straight on the official position of the organization on this particular point.. question: is it officially true that to have a chance at eternal life here on paradise earth one must be a (1) baptized and (2) official member of a congregation of the jehova's witnesses and that no others outside the jws can hope to attain salvation.. this seems to be the predominate assumption in most of the teachings i have so far encountered.

pirata

Jehovah is awe inspiring!

by Sour Grapes in

a witless friend sent this to me yesterday.

able to copy the picture however the email is interesting.

and really shows the depth of their mentality.. sour grapes.

pirata

Yes, a city is paying the electricity for a clock after residents complained. Truly an act of God.

29

1975???

by 21stcenturywoman in

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i have a few questions about 1975. i was born after 1975, so i don't know too much about the armageddon prediction.

pirata

@21stcenturywoman

In talks and in print, the Society never said that Armageddon WAS coming in 1975. They said, it would be extremely appropriate, marvelous things may happen, and if things seemed delayed maybe it could be because the 6000 years didn't start till Eve was created, and we don't know how long from the time Adam was created to when Eve was created.

Official talks given by Fred Franz discusses this further (the author of the book "Life Everlasting in the freedom of the Sons of God", which started all the excitement about 1975):

http://www.archive.org/details/WhatIsTheSignficanceOf1975

http://www.archive.org/details/TimeInWhichWeAreNowInterestedByFredFranz

There's also a talk Charles Sinutko (a circuit overseer whose life experience was in the August 22, 2004 Awake pg. 19) was evidently reading too much into the Society's statements about 1975. This was one of the most forceful expressions I've heard regarding 1975, but it is not official. (I thought this was also on archive.org, but I can't find a link to it. Anyone have a current link?) From the sounds of people's experiences here, the excitement was stronger in some circuits/congregations than in others.

On a somewhat related, and possible more honest note, in 1925 when Rutherford's predictions never happened, he admitted to the bethel family "I made an ass of myself" (w84 10/1 pg. 24 footnote).

@Spade/SuperSpook/Maze et al.

Jehovah's Witnesses simply reflected what's contained in the Bible and associated means of measuring where we are in the stream of time.

If Fred Franz hadn't conjured up the 1975 idea, there would be about ZERO Jehovah's Witnesses who would have had the means or influence to come up with such a thing and spread their idea. Jehovah's Witnesses got that idea from an organization that teaches truth (or at least speculates truth in this case).

Your mother was right when she said that only the spiritually weak left the organization. Jehovah's Witnesses that are spiritually strong don't base their spiritual endeavors on a pivotal date for the end of this system of things.

And directly related to the point above, Jehovah's Witnesses as individuals would not be fixated on a "pivotal date" unless it came from the organization. There have been no issues regarding "pivotal dates" in the past 36 years because the Organization has stopped guessing dates (which also coincides with the full transition to the Governing Body arrangement in 1976, whereby one person's doctrinal ideas can no longer make it into print unless approved by the body).

16

Which sentence is correct? Are both sentences correct??

by Iamallcool in

jw
friends

bob and his family is coming here tonight.

.

bob and his family are coming here tonight..

pirata

Neither is correct, Bob is a bastard, and he and his family are getting nowhere near here !

@wobble. Why do you have such prejudice against men born out of wedlock?

32

Where to JWs park their cars when going door-to-door?

by bradp in

jw
friends

i am a christian and have handed out tracts all over my neighborhood,.

i'm ready to go to a new neighborhood and am trying to determine where to park my car without it getting towed.. is there a jw publication available that covers this kind of info?

.

pirata

If you attend meetings regularly and sign up as a publisher, you can be eligible to recieve "Our Kingdom Ministy" which will answer questions like these and more.

You will also learn things like:

Don't discuss the bible in independent groups
Don't participate in sites such as this
Don't distribute or download non-approved Kingdom songs
Preach to men because we need more men
The rules for JW district conventions
What to say about the magazines
Why aren't you spending 70 hours a month in field service?

16

Which sentence is correct? Are both sentences correct??

by Iamallcool in

jw
friends

bob and his family is coming here tonight.

.

bob and his family are coming here tonight..

pirata

Or this one:

Truly I tell you today, you will be with me in paradise.

Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.