The WTS didn't make them who they were, the WTS contained them for a while.
You've hit the nail on the head.
Nitty-Gritty
JoinedPosts by Nitty-Gritty
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11530
It's been a long 9 years Lloyd Evans / John Cedars
by Newly Enlightened inoriginal reddit post (removed).
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Nitty-Gritty
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Transparency Questions
by Vanderhoven7 inhere are some questions to ask witnesses.
how would you alter or improve or add to them?.
transparency questions.
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Nitty-Gritty
@ Vanderhoven
"Here are some questions to ask Witnesses"
I realise you were not actually asking a Witness to answer these questions, but since you posted them and I am a Witness I will go ahead and answer them. Answers in bold:
TRANSPARENCY QUESTIONS
1.How confident are you that your religion is true?Confident
Do you ever have doubts about your religion?
No
Are there any issues about your religion that trouble you? Or is it all good?
Some trouble me
Do you see your religion as being the only religion that God approves of?
When I look at other religions (not individuals in that religion) then the answer is yes.
2. Would you say that all other religions are essentially satanic or part of Satan's kingdom?Yes
Do you believe that Jehovah God rejected all other churches at some point in history?
Yes
When do you believe God rejected all of Christendom? What year? How do you know this?
When Christianity apostacized from the true church by becoming "a part of the world" and at other occasions when they went directly against the teachings of Christ, and when they began incorporating philosophies and beliefs that were not established by Jesus. It was a process, so its difficult to establish an exact year, but by reading good history books on the subject one can get a general idea. This also answers the question: "How do you know this".
What do you think will happen to people belonging to churches other than yours at if they are alive at Armageddon?
It’s up to God
God will be a righteous judge and reads hearts, he will know if that person may have embraced the truth but the timing was off.
3. Do you believe, that with rare exceptions, only faithful JWs will survive Armageddon?
Don’t know
Do you believe Jehovah will destroy billions of people at Armageddon?
Possibly, since the Bible speaks of only a minority being on the road to life.
Do you believe that the Non-Witnesses God destroys will have no hope of a resurrection?
Probably, since why would he kill them and then bring them back again. But I don't know.
What if these same Non-JWs die a few years before Armageddon...might they get a resurrection?The Bible says that unrighteous will get resurrected so probably yes.
Do you think its fair that God would eternally destroy people simply based on the timing of their death?
Of course not, this is why I said what I did in the last part of question 2
4. Would you say that Witnesses are free to question and even disagree with what comes down from your religion's headquarters?
Witnesses are free to disagree.
What would happen if a Witness vocalized disagreement with a particular teaching?
What if they persisted in disagreement? Might they be disfellowshipped?
If they are very disruptive and vocal about it then probably.
5. To your knowledge, is there some valid or honorable way out of your religion?
Fading
What would be the repercussions if you left the Witnesses?
Depending how it was done. If you faded, very little.
Would you be shunned?
Not if you faded
Would you shun a family member who left your religion because they no longer believe it to be true?
No
Do you think there could be many Witnesses who no longer believe Watchtower religion to be true
but pretend they still believe so they can keep their families intact?
Possibly
6. Do you think that your religion disfellowships and shuns people for solely biblical reasons?
Mostly
Do you consider unrepentant celebration of birthdays to be a biblical disfellowshipping offense?
No
Do you believe unrepentant accepting of blood transfusions is a disfellowshipping offense?
Yes
7. In a dire medical emergency would you refuse a blood transfusion that could save your child's life?
Difficult question to answer. Not sure
Would you allow some blood components to be transfused?
Yes
Which components does the Bible say are acceptable and which ones are not?
The Bible talks about whole blood, not components
Do you know if Jehovah's Witnesses have been consistent in determining allowable components?
Probably not been consistent.
Why is plasma unacceptable when all components are individually on the WT acceptable list?Good question
How about white blood cells (Leukocytes)? Do you know that millions are passed in mother's milk and
during organ transplants which are now acceptable to the Society?
It's a case of blood transfusion, not a case of natural processes such feeding on mother's milk. And just because Leukocytes may be present in an organ transplant....well it's is the same as eating a steak where there will always be some blood present.
Do you believe it is wrong for Christians to donate blood to blood-banks? (storing blood is sinful)
Yes. Not because storing blood is sinful, but because of what is done with that stored blood.
Is storing blood temporarily for testing purposes immoral?
No, it is not stored to be used in another person. After the test is finished the blood is discarded
Where do Witnesses with hemophilia get their blood-clotting components from? (blood banks) Is it proper or moral to benefit from immorally donated blood? Aren't JWs being parasites?
It is only immoral for a Christian to donate blood. Whether they use some fractions of blood from blood that others have donated is up to them.
8. If you somehow lost faith in your religion's primary leadership, would you lose your faith in God and the Bible?
No
Do you believe that your faith is primarily in God and His word? (II TIM.3:16)
Yes
Is it possible, without realizing it, that your faith is predominantly in men and not God or the Bible?
Not my case, but I can see that it could happen in some cases.
Can your leaders correct you and change your mind about what the Bible teaches?
Possibly, but ultimately you decide
Can the Bible ever correct you and change your mind contrary to what your leaders teach?
Possibly, but ultimately you decide.
If I told you I only accept what a Bible scholar says the Bible teaches; would my faith ultimately be in the Bible or in the scholar?
Trick question. You would have to do your own research to see if what Bible scholar says the Bible teaches, is actually true. But it's all about interpretation, isn't it? Bible scholar and I can both understand a subject differently.
9. Do you believe that the gospel Jehovah's Witnesses preach is the same gospel that Paul preached?
Closer than any other religion
Gal.1:6-9 NWT Would it be legitimate for Christians to preach something beyond what Paul preached?
No
Can you summarize the gospel that Jehovah's Witnesses are preaching?
Repentance and the Good News of the Kingdom
Imagine I've got 5 minutes to live... and I ask you how can I get right with God, have my sins all
forgiven and be granted eternal life?
The fact that you want to get right with God means God will give you the opportunity to do so in the resurrection.
What would Paul say to this dying person? (Acts 16:30-31, I Cor.15:1-4)
You want me to say: “believe in Jesus”. However, you are misusing Paul's words in this instance because you and I both know that "belief" in something is based on more than just a five minute decision. In order for that belief to be genuine it would have to be backed up by action, which in this case would be impossible. Asking someone to believe is a very superficial demonstration of faith, and Paul did not have that in mind judging by the rest of his writings. Imagine you are an atheist, and you know nothing much about Jesus or the Bible, you just know people believe in a God. Now you have 5 minutes to decide you believe in Jesus. You might as well be asked to believe in the flying Spaghetti Monster. A dying person will believe in anything.
Do you believe that people today, can be saved or justified and have God's approval without any
affiliation with your religious organization? (criteria)
It is not for me to say. God is the judge.
10. Do you believe that some of the original Great Crowd members will be alive when Armageddon strikes?
Probably not
What year did the Great Crowd begin forming? (Not sure) Was it sometime after 1914? (Yes)
Don't care
When did the Watchtower first realize that the great company was forming? (1935)
How did they discover this? Who informed the Watchtower that this group was forming?
No one informed them. It became a logical conclusion since the number of Bible students outgrew 144 K
If the Great Crowd started forming in 1920, how old would the youngest member be today?
Pretty old
11. Do you believe that Jehovah has promised to usher in a safe and secure new world before the 1914 generation expires?
It's on Jehovah's timetable and no one else, except Jesus knows.
How is it possible to maintain that Jesus was teaching that the 1914 generation would not pass away?
It's obvious that we have not understood this correctly.
How old are babies born in 1914 today? (107)
If the generation Jesus spoke about would "surely" not pass away, you think He would be talking about a thriving number within that generation – don't you think?
Sure, according to man's interpretation.
Can you explain what Jesus meant by "this generation"? (hutos genaea) (overlapping)
No
Can you show where Matthew or any other gospel writer employs a similar meaning?
Not sure what is meant by this question. Is the question about an "overlapping" generation? If yes, then none of the Gospel writers spoke about an "overlapping" generation. However they did speak about contemporaries. Luke 9:41, 11:32, 17:25
In the case of WT comprehension, the generation Jesus was talking about refers to contemporaries of actual people who were anointed before 1914. So, if my great grandma remembered the first world war, and I listened to her stories about it as a child, although she is long dead, I am supposedly her contemporary....
12. Do you believe that less than 150,000 faithful Christians existed prior to the 20th century?
(From 33 A.D. to 1900 A.D.)
What about the millions who were martyred for Christ during this time frame?
It is estimated that 2 million Christians were martyred in the first 3 centuries.
Were these mostly fake Christians? (must have been)
How can you judge when you don't know them?
Can't. This is why God will be the judge, and the number of 144 000 could possibly be symbolic. -
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Article: Passing the Time By Firing Back at Jehovah’s Witnesses — With Letters
by AndersonsInfo inhttps://www.phoenixnewtimes.com/arts/under-the-sun-why-a-local-woman-wants-to-nail-the-jehovahs-witnesses-11545704.
kayleigh had run out of postage stamps and was waiting for new ones to arrive.
it was slowing her assault on a local congregation of jehovah’s witnesses.. she pointed to a stack of letters she’d already written to what she liked to call “the jws.”.
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Nitty-Gritty
Have the Andersons sunk so low as to think that this article, about a woman wasting her time writing to JWs in some kind of revenge tantrum, is worth posting?
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Witnessing letter that has gone viral
by drzhivago73 inhere’s a link to a really cool letter that no witness can dispute.. jw letter.
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Nitty-Gritty
Obviously this letter is a joke and not written by any current JW but by an ex.
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Thoughts on JW funerals
by Syme ini recently had the sad opportunity to attend 2 jw funerals.
the first was a few months ago and the second today.
the first was my grandfather's and the second of an old friend back from my jw days.
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Nitty-Gritty
I have recently attended a Zoom funeral and it was VERY personal. It was given by someone close to the family who is not an elder. I was told that an elder giving the talk is preferred, but by no means required. It's up to the family. Both prayers at the beginning and end were also very personal. Afterward, there were slides of photographs and everyone was encouraged to stay and share personal stories and just hang out. People stayed on for over an hour just chatting. Everything was very informal. I believe it was the nicest funeral I have attended.
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Do you think the Narcissistic Governing Bozo's will take the vaccine.
by goingthruthemotions inso what are you thought on the gb taking the vaccine?
i have heard the vaccine could contain .
may contain monoclonal antibody which is a clone of white blood cells.
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Nitty-Gritty
This is an email every witness received, your wife should have got one too @goingthruthemotions
COVID-19 Vaccine Information: Several COVID-19 vaccines may soon be approved and become available. Some have asked if these vaccines contain blood or blood fractions. We have confirmed that the COVID-19 vaccine manufactured by Pfizer and BioNTech (COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine BNT162b2) does not contain blood or blood fractions. As details become available regarding other vaccines, additional information will be provided. Medical care is a matter for personal decision. We do not attempt to make choices for others.
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2020-Articles Of Association--Bylaws--Notice Of Special Meeting! (as of 2020-11-25)
by Atlantis in2020--articles of association and bylaws--3 pages.. .
2020--notice of special meeting in december--8 pages.
if you are a jw read carefully before you sign.. .
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Nitty-Gritty
Petra please send me a pm. Thank you!
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UPDATE: Fanatical Mom wants to report me
by Scarlett_Martin in*** update 2020/11/21 ****.
hello people,.
some time ago i made my first on this forum after i have just woken up.. i was very scared and honestly i am still amazed from the fact that i am still getting replies in the old thread.. here is the link to my previous thread: link.
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Nitty-Gritty
You sound like a very confused young lady who doesn't have much personal conviction yet. You are in danger of being swept up by whatever comes your way that you like the sound of. You seem to be eating up apostate material, just like you were eating up the "truth". Those people who were interviewed in the video weren't doing it because they were forced. Do you really think that? They were doing it because they wanted to share their personal conviction and belief. But it seems you were never personally convinced about what your mom taught you in the first place, and so now apostate material is giving you the answers you want to hear, to make leaving easier in your mind.
You are not the only JW who has read apostate material. Those who leave do so because they want to, and not because apostate material has revealed something new about the org. It might be new to you, but if you did research you would know that it's nothing special, definitely not a reason to leave.....
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Politics and Hope
by lriddle80 inso there are a lot of atheists on here.
my question: where does your hope come from?
that the right people will be put in political positions and will eventually form a utopian society that will meet all needs and we will have equality for all?.
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Nitty-Gritty
"My hope is that in 2120 we will look back and shake our heads at 2020 and before for the same reason we shake our heads at 1920 and before"
By then everyone posting on here will be dead, and so will their children, and probably their grandchildren. So what does it even matter? It's not like anyone from the 1920's cares that things are better for us today, since they're all dead anyway....
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"She could have just walked out."
by Lost in the fog incan you really imagine that a young teenager in a room full of stern grown-ups is going to say "i've had enough of this and i am walking out."?
i really hope it will go to trial.
utah high court weighs case of woman who says church made her listen to audio of her rape as a teenager.
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Nitty-Gritty
@under the radar
"Watchtower could easily solve this apparent dilemma if they announced a policy of dealing with sin internally but reporting all reports or suspicions of crime to the secular authorities to be dealt with according to the law".
I think they've already done that.