how credible are nwt's critiques?
: allin and john 8:58.a few weeks ago we had a discussion surrounding john 8.58. the posters in this forum offered various views in regards to jesus' divine role in scripture.
occasionally, some scholars publish articles where they voice their opinion against the nwt theological renderings.
Acts5v29: The simple way out of this is to practice 1st Thessalonians 5 in loyalty
to God rather than church, and especially with regard to the churches
which say that to follow them is to follow God.
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... that would include the watchtower...
i mean this with all due respect, i would like to hear from genuine people who think jw have it wrong and then what is the truth?.
im not talking about silly little quibbles here and there.. is jehovah real?
the the bible is word?
Hi jhine,
Since I'm not allowed to teach, I suppress that urge and honestly feel much better in my ministry for it. But when I see manipulation - done under the banner of service to God - then I feel sick to my stomach and yearn for the day when God will expose it all for what it is.
best wishes,
Acts5v29
how credible are nwt's critiques?
: allin and john 8:58.a few weeks ago we had a discussion surrounding john 8.58. the posters in this forum offered various views in regards to jesus' divine role in scripture.
occasionally, some scholars publish articles where they voice their opinion against the nwt theological renderings.
I think that is a sophisticated answer.
To "hang on to what is good" is certainly good, but why hang on to - and defend - the bad also?
If religions are to be ranked according to the lowest number of flaws, then the best religion simply has to have one less flaw than the others to feel settled - even though this is to negate the notion of "carefully examining everything and hanging on to what is good". But religion is not the issue: the issue is the God we worship, and perpetuated debate as to which religion is the least worst is a very earthly distraction from that.
There is an example in the LDS - they added some text to the end of the book of Genesis to prophesy the advent of Joseph Smith. LDS explain this in various ways, such as
"God told him to do it"
which is difficult to disprove, and with that the - quite disgraceful - flaw is perpetuated. Other religions do the same... The simple way out of this is to practice 1st Thessalonians 5 in loyalty to God rather than church, and especially with regard to the churches which say that to follow them is to follow God.
how credible are nwt's critiques?
: allin and john 8:58.a few weeks ago we had a discussion surrounding john 8.58. the posters in this forum offered various views in regards to jesus' divine role in scripture.
occasionally, some scholars publish articles where they voice their opinion against the nwt theological renderings.
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That said, I don't think it is "hypocrisy" to use the good parts from them while avoiding what we perceive are flaws.
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I would claim that that is the essential definition of hypocrisy [Matthew 23:24], especially as the thread questions the credibility of watchtower critics.
We are on earth as an apprenticeship in preparation of working for God in the next life - in this one we can seek God by valuing truth, or we can defend what ungodly things are attached to our earthly master... but the two are mutually exclusive. Personally I believe there is too much sophistry and tangential avoidance of the former - how many religions survive by saying:
"You can't prove that we're not right"
- but its a peculiar preparation for our future life, don't you think?
i mean this with all due respect, i would like to hear from genuine people who think jw have it wrong and then what is the truth?.
im not talking about silly little quibbles here and there.. is jehovah real?
the the bible is word?
Well,they seem to - they produce a lot to read (!) which might just be to keep its congregations busy. So man of them have said how difficult it is to "keep up". As for twisting, there is quite a measure of that.
It's just that the question of what is a better alternative than the watchtower sounds almost like a goad - proffering a touchstone by which to discard the suggestions of others, or a thread by which to promote the watchtower as having no competitiors. I would not accuse a genuine truth seeker of doing that - religions do tend to make us think in their terms, and if one does seek an exit to do so governed by what the religion would term a viable alternative, so that can govern the way we grade advice or even ask for it. I have received emails from [EDIT: concerned] watchtower [EDIT: members] which are quite tortured in their speech, trying to ask a question without committing the sin of asking it - that is a sure sign of how much damage a religion has done to a person.
i mean this with all due respect, i would like to hear from genuine people who think jw have it wrong and then what is the truth?.
im not talking about silly little quibbles here and there.. is jehovah real?
the the bible is word?
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These 2 things are part of the great lie which powers religions - which only leads people to fight and search for something they cannot possibly find.
The watchtower studies the scriptures more than other religions - so until other religions do the same and compete with them, they will probably suit you best - but there are seriously massive flaws in their belief system, their view of Revelation being one of them, which must disqualify whatever other knowledge they have. In contrast God's purpose - which is not about becoming a perfectly correct walking encyclopaedia - is very simple, and very free, and outside of all religions.
When we are finally taught by the Divine rather than man-made religions, then we will have truth in everything in the scriptures - but God's purpose needs to come to fruition before that. Why not look at that, because that has great freedom and none of the strife or futile searching that religions have instilled in us all at one time or another.
how credible are nwt's critiques?
: allin and john 8:58.a few weeks ago we had a discussion surrounding john 8.58. the posters in this forum offered various views in regards to jesus' divine role in scripture.
occasionally, some scholars publish articles where they voice their opinion against the nwt theological renderings.
i am not a jehovah's witness, never have been.
i am a former christian (mostly baptist background) and have been an atheist since 1999. .
my question is this - are there any books (not official watch tower publications) published by any jw's?
Hello BobIngersoil
There are two - not anti-watchtower nor reasoning against watchtower - which you might find of interest on scriptural issues.
One is "Divine Rescue from Mankind's Final Crisis" (nothing to do with Fudge ministries, by the way) which addresses the theme of the Bible; another is "Why God 'Permits Evil' " - which gives an answer.
Both are short, neither are affiliated to any religion, and both are free as PDFs from www.worshipJehovah.org (not associated with any religion)
http://www.express.co.uk/news/nature/581439/rise-isis-earthquakes-warnings-before-armageddon-apocalypse-end-destroys-volcanoes-earth.
the "end" of mankind, which has been long predicted by jehovah's witnesses, could happen as soon as this year - according to latest announcement from the christian religion.. in the latest edition of jehovah's witnesses monthly publication watchtower, an article translated into 700 languages - urges people to join the religion or face certain death when god sends his forces from the heavens to "remove all world leaders," "exterminate his enemies" and "rid the world of satan".. critics have lambasted the warning of a coming armageddon as yet another "failed prediction" by the religion, which has previously delivered similar alerts such as a foretold apocalypse in 1975.. indeed, jehovah's witnesses have been warning people of the need to recognise jehovah or face certain death when the "end" comes for more than 100 years.. the christian-based religion was founded in the 1870s by charles taze russell in pittsburgh, pennsylvania, us, as an offshoot from the bible studies movement.. today, there are 8.2million jehovah's witness evangelists, while 19.9 million celebrated their annual memorial festival marking christ's death - worldwide in 2014.. followers do not believe in military service and will not accept blood transfusions.. in a new eight-page article, watchtower said jehovah's witness leaders are now "convinced" humans are in their "final days" before the armageddon.. they cite an increase in global armed conflict, such as the rise of the islamic state terror group, as well as natural disasters such as volcanoes and earthquakes.. the lengthy article, written by an unnamed author, said: "will god let humans continue to dominate one another and threaten the future of mankind?
no, as we have seen, he will step in and bring an end to centuries of misery and oppression.
Armageddon - which is the n-teenth event of Revelation - cannot possibly be imminent, because the 1st earthly event of the vision of Revelation has not yet taken place.
First and foremost must come a shout of apprecation from everyone alive to both God and to His Christ (Revelation 5:13)
This has never happened, because such a unanimous world-wide shout of praise would have been recorded somewhere in many nations' histories.
credit to vidqun for the direction given.. the watchtower november 15th qfr http://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/w20141115/ blows the selection process/timing/individuals clean out of the water!.
simply put, ask any witness these questions:.
who is represented by the 'two witnesses' in revelation chapter 7?
I think there's a different way in which the Revelation teaching is shown to be flawed.
The 1st earthly event of the vision of Revelation has not yet taken place, so Armageddon cannot possibly be imminent.
