Posts by Vanderhoven7

10

Testing For Transparency - An Honesty Check

by Vanderhoven7 in

please share any other yes/no questions that might fit with the following 10. also feel free to critique the 10 listed.. testing for transparency.

there are some facts that jehovah's witnesses are reticent to divulge to new prospects.

you may want to find out very early in your discussions if the witnesses you are studying with are open and truthful about their organization's doctrine and practices by asking them a series of sensitive (potentially embarrassing) questions about their personal beliefs.

Vanderhoven7

OK, some good additions here. I try to personalize these potentially embarrassing questions because I already know the official WTS responses so I feel dishonest asking questions as if I don't know the organizations' positions. That problem is solved when I ask them what they personally think/believe.

11. Do you believe that less than 150,000 faithful Christians existed prior to the 20th century? (33AD-1900)

12. Do you believe that Jehovah has promised to usher in a safe and secure new world before the 1914 generation expires?

13. Would you say that modern JWs are very similar to early Church Christians?

14. Do you believe that your organization's leaders have been given exclusive mandate and ability to interpret the Bible for Christians today?

15. Do you believe that the Bible can be made to say anything one wants it to say?

16. Would you say that Jehovah's Witnesses generally discourage their children from going on to university?

17. Are JW's able to see in detail how their donations are allocated and what they're invested in.

18. Are you sure that what you are being taught as truth today won't be dismissed as "old light" next month?

19. Are you or any members of your congregation currently shunning any of their children?

20. Do you believe a God of truth and honesty would allow his alleged appointed representatives on Earth to put his name on inaccurate information?

10

Testing For Transparency - An Honesty Check

by Vanderhoven7 in

please share any other yes/no questions that might fit with the following 10. also feel free to critique the 10 listed.. testing for transparency.

there are some facts that jehovah's witnesses are reticent to divulge to new prospects.

you may want to find out very early in your discussions if the witnesses you are studying with are open and truthful about their organization's doctrine and practices by asking them a series of sensitive (potentially embarrassing) questions about their personal beliefs.

Vanderhoven7

Please share any other yes/no questions that might fit with the following 10. Also feel free to critique the 10 listed.

TESTING FOR TRANSPARENCY

There are some facts that Jehovah's Witnesses are reticent to divulge to new prospects. You may want to find out very early in your discussions if the Witnesses you are studying with are open and truthful about their organization's doctrine and practices by asking them a series of sensitive (potentially embarrassing) questions about their personal beliefs. Certainly, their personal beliefs are expected to match the official teachings of their organization which demands complete unity of thought and practice.

It is important to realize that Jehovah's Witnesses are permitted and even encouraged to deceive people whom they deem unworthy of the truth. These would include those who they suspect are “opposers” of their organization and its' doctrines. Witnesses refer to this misleading practice as “Theocratic Warfare”.

SENSITIVE (Yes/No) QUESTIONS

Sample Lead in Question: Are there any aspects of your religion that trouble you or perhaps make you uncomfortable? (or is it all good?)

1. Do you see your religion as being the one true religion on earth today? (or the only religion that God approves of?)

2. Would you say that all other religions are essentially satanic? (or part of Satan's kingdom?)

3. Do you believe that God is planning to destroy all the churches of Christendom and their supporters?

4. Do you believe, perhaps with rare exceptions, that only faithful Jehovah's Witnesses have a scriptural hope of surviving Armageddon?

5. Do you believe that a Jehovah's Witness who willfully accepts blood transfusions would still have a scriptural hope of surviving Armageddon? (or would he forfeit that hope?)

6. Would you say that there is freedom among Jehovah's Witnesses to question or disagree with some things your religion teaches (I mean without repercussion)?

7. Do you know of any honorable way for a Jehovah's Witness to leave your religion?

8. Do you believe that adult Jehovah's Witnesses, who either leave or are disfellowshipped from your religion, should be shunned?

9. If you somehow lost faith in your religion's primary leadership, would you lose your faith in God and the Bible?

10. Do you believe that the gospel Jehovah's Witnesses preach today is the same gospel that Paul preached?

26

Jehovah's Witnesses Mistaken Ideas About What The Bible Teaches

by Vanderhoven7 in

let's add to the following list.

jws are mistaken when they believe the bible teaches:.

1. that their leaders somehow represent the faithful and wise servant.

Vanderhoven7

It's interesting though that it was James that took the lead in Acts 15 to conclude that the law was not applicable to Gentiles. Acts 15:13-21

Everyone, including Paul seemed to relax after that.😁

23

need input: Asked my wife to show me in the bible where Christ became King in 1914

by goingthruthemotions in

so my wife is so diluted and brainwashed.

during this time she is having so much anxiety, mainly because me and my son's want nothing to do with the religion.. so the discussion was, i told her will never go back because they go way beyond what the bible teaches all the time.

i brought up overlapping generation, 607 and then i told her...show me where in the bible that jesus returned invisbly in 1914 and started ruling?

Vanderhoven7

@BB

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think Russell began with 607 because the walls began to be rebuilt in 537. Count back 70 years of God's predicted punishment and you arrive at 607 for the destruction of Jerusalem.

Once they had the 607 date then they used the 7 times of Dan 4 as you said to arrive at 1914.

But the 70 years were actually predicted years of servitude to Babylon and not of Jerusalem's destruction although during the years of servitude the city was destroyed and that as all non WT historians agree, took place in 587

So the WT calculations are all conjecture and theory which no real Bible scholar would support.

26

Jehovah's Witnesses Mistaken Ideas About What The Bible Teaches

by Vanderhoven7 in

let's add to the following list.

jws are mistaken when they believe the bible teaches:.

1. that their leaders somehow represent the faithful and wise servant.

Vanderhoven7

Faith vs works, Grace vs merit, Gift vs debt

-In Christ alone Acts 4:10-12

-by Grace alone Roman's 3:24

-through faith alone Roman's 5:1

-in His blood alone 1 Peter 1:18-19

54

Name 3 Movies You Have Seen At Least 3 Times

by minimus in

jw
friends

goodfellas.

one flew over the cuckoos nest.

casino.

Vanderhoven7

Pride and Prejudice

Sense and Sensibility

Jane Eyre

7

In the name of Michael, amen

by AuntBee in

does anyone remember one of the videos on the jw broadcast, where the speaker actually prayed "in the name of michael, amen"?

.

someone was asking about it on another forum, but no one can remember when it was or if we can locate it..

Vanderhoven7

Don't remember the video, but Candice Lucey sheds some light on the controversy

Who Is the Archangel Michael to Us?

There really are angels; Scripture points to their existence too often to deny that God made them, and they serve a purpose in God’s kingdom. Angels are “mighty ones” who work for God (Psalm 103:20) using His authority and the power He gave them to fight Satan. We see that in the verses cited above. Wayne Grudem tells us that angels deliver messages, “carry out some of God’s judgments,” act as an “example” to us in their worship of and obedience to God, and “patrol the earth as God’s representatives.” They act on behalf of God’s people as per God’s command.

This should create a sense of wonder; that there are angels around us doing God’s will, invisible to humans. Elisha and his servant were surrounded by the force of Syria, and Elisha’s servant was terrified. “Do not be afraid, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them” (2 Kings 6:16). Elisha could see what was invisible to most people: God’s forces at work on behalf of His people. Angels are at work around us, and it is tempting to become more enthralled with these beautiful, mighty creatures than with the Son of God.

Even as he fights Satan during the end times, however, the Archangel Michael will not be as powerful as the Messiah. We see Michael as a sword-carrying warrior against demons, but the blade we are most concerned with as Christians is the sword of the Word, an essential piece of the “full armor of God” (Ephesians 6).

What Does This Mean?

One must not worship anyone other than the Lord for, as John Gilhooly reminds us, “to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son; today I have become your Father”? (Hebrews 1:5). “It is bad doctrine that makes creatures secure by creatures.”...

Candice Lucey

24

After the Covid-19 crisis: what will happen?

by Gorbatchov in

jw
friends

what will happen after the covid-19 crisis?.

- economy with all the stand still corporations, people without work and mass injections of support money?.

- politics with the end of globalisation, closed borders and new geopolitic friends (italy / china russia), lack of support and working together in eu and local politics, did the current politician the right thing?.

Vanderhoven7

After the crisis I think there will be a new respect for teachers and people will be glad to get the weight of educational responsibilities off their shoulders.

26

Jehovah's Witnesses Mistaken Ideas About What The Bible Teaches

by Vanderhoven7 in

let's add to the following list.

jws are mistaken when they believe the bible teaches:.

1. that their leaders somehow represent the faithful and wise servant.

Vanderhoven7

LOL...good one Waton

26

Jehovah's Witnesses Mistaken Ideas About What The Bible Teaches

by Vanderhoven7 in

let's add to the following list.

jws are mistaken when they believe the bible teaches:.

1. that their leaders somehow represent the faithful and wise servant.

Vanderhoven7

Some great additions here.

Jehovah's Witnesses erroneously believe that the Bible teaches:

14. that Jesus did not die a substitutionary death for mankind.

15. that each person's death is payment for sins committed.

16. that foreigners in Israel were excluded from the law covenant.

17. that only 144,000 people have a heavenly calling.

18. that only 8 men in New York are capable of interpreting the scriptures.

19. that only Jehovah's Witnesses are real Christians

20. that only Jehovah's Witnesses have a scriptural hope of surviving the end of the system.

21. that man by nature, is not a depraved sinner alienatated from God.

22. that "this generation" in Matthew 24:34 does not mean the generation Jesus was manifest in.

23. that Jesus is a created angelic being.

24. that Jesus is not entitled to real worship.

25. that the 1914 generation is still with us.

26. that the Holy Spirit is an impersonal force

Great additions guys. Keep em rollin in.