Hi Guy's
This is my first post on this site - I've just browsed for a few months. I've not been to the KH or remained in contact with my ex JW "freinds" for a number of years now. I'm one that along with my wife and kids just fadded away, however the rest of my family are still JWs.
I have a number of issues with the teachings etc and will share one with you an would like your comments.
I was always taught the responce to make when asked the question on FS "why does God let all the wickedness and suffering happen?" To which i would roughly reply "because God has to be seen as being a fair God. He couldn't just eliminate Satan he had to show the rest of the angelic creatures that once his sovereignty was challenged by Satan (the Adam & Eve bit in the garden of eden) he had to let things occur/ let man rule himself without Gods help and by this he would prove that man couldn't rule himself, then God would put an end to man's/Satans rule".
Now this has niggled me for a while now. Firstly correct me if I'm wrong but this was an argument in heaven between Jehovah & Satan. The Angels etc were the ones that needed to be shown that this was going to be a fair contest and that Satan would be given the chance to challenge Jehovah.
When Satan threw down this challenge to Jehovah - Jehovah knew the end outcome of all this. He knew Satan could not rule the world along with mankind - but he had to be fair and give Satan the chance.
So mankind due to an argument up in the heavens has had to put up with death, desease, wars, "natural disasters" and so on..... and Jehovah knew the outcome all along. But wait - Jehovah lovingly provided us with a lifeline. If we worship him then we will live forever on a paradise earth away from all what we endure now - away from Satan. But wait - Satan gets out again in a 1000 years (the 1000 years in a bottomless pit will feel like 2 minutes to Satan) to roam around and test us again - eh?!
How much testing does man need and how much testing has Satan got and those Angels take some convincing. We had the flood, were going to get armagedon, then to cap if off we'll get the 1000 year test.
So basically due to an argument in heaven (of which the outcome was already known) we have had all of this taken out on us so that Jehovah can prove his point. Well done Jehovah a good argument well won even though its not finished yet.
(all this and I've not even mentioned us all getting punished for Adam & Eve's sin!)...............