Not the study article, but.......

ozziepost

A long-held teaching of the WTS is that God allowed time after the fall of Adam and Eve to demonstrate to all creation the rightness of his rule.

This is again repeated in a current issue of The Watchtower :

Why did God not immediately destroy the first human couple along with Satan, the invisible instigator of their rebellion? He had the power to do so. Adam and Eve would not have produced offspring subject to a legacy of suffering and death. However, such a demonstration of divine power would not have proved the rightfulness of God's authority over his intelligent creatures. Furthermore, had Adam and Eve died childless, that would have signaled the failure of God's purpose to fill the earth with their perfect descendants. (Genesis 1:28) And "God is not like men...Whatever he promises, he does; he speaks, and it is done."-Numbers 23:19, TEV [The Watchtower, January 1, 2003 page 5]

It occurs to me that this oft-repeated teaching is the subject of interpretaion since no supporting texts are offered. Did God indeed face a contest in the manner that the WTS describes? Well, that's what the WTS describes:

The rebels would have ample opportunity to experience the effects of independence from God. History would demonstrate beyond doubt mankind's need for divine guidance and the superiority of God's rule over man's or Satan's. [The Watchtower, January 1, 2003 page 5]

No wonder so many Dubs are in fear of the demons, for the WTS has taught them that Satan has equal power with God, at least for the past 6,000 years. Here we have portaryed for us a God who is in a contest with the Devil and is also subject to censure by public opinion.

Is this the God of the Bible? Is it the God whom Christ taught us to obey?

Cheers, Ozzie

detective

Interesting points!

YERU2

This is one of the JW doctrines that has always bothered me. If the God they worship has to prove a point, he's a pretty weak god. God doesn't have to prove anything to anyone. Had he destroyed all of creation and started over, who would have known? No, God didn't destroy creation because he LOVES US. Come on ya JW dolts, God loves us, that's why we're still around.

jgnat

Thanks for articulating, Ozzie, a fuzzy point on WTS theology. I think Yeru hit the nail on the head. Rulership, authority, sovereignty take priority over love in the society. Why did Jesus say he came? Was it to reestablish his sovereignty, or was it to:

And if any man hear my sayings, and keep them not, I judge him not: for I came not to judge the world, but to save the world. John 12:46-47 ASV

artful

Thanks for raising this very interesting point Ozzie!

This is exactly the kind of research that I have been doing for myself lately - trying to "start from the beginning" to determine just how many of my former JW beliefs (major and minor) are just a fabrication of the WTS. I now have one more to add to the list. Thanks!

(as jgnat mentions) It's funny that if God's sovereignty was the real reason that we are around today you would think that Jesus might have mentioned this all-encompassing plan at least sometime during his ministry!!

Cheers
Artful

gumby

Well...if the society is wrong on...."the reason God let things CONTINUE after sin.....what is.....THE REAL REASON....why he let things continue?

Anyone????????

jgnat

We all have a little of the Creator in us. I create paintings. Why do I want to preserve my paintings, even the ones that did not work out as I planned?

Farkel

Ozzie,

: The rebels would have ample opportunity to experience the effects of independence from God. History would demonstrate beyond doubt mankind's need for divine guidance and the superiority of God's rule over man's or Satan's.

Of course, they are too stupid to ask the question: "why did God make his children dependent upon Divine Guidance(tm) in the first place?" Had he not done so (just as a human parent teaches his own children not to be dependent upon them) we wouldn't be in the mess HE put us in.

WatchtowerGod(tm) is definitely a self-centered, egotistical, insecure puny God as has already been pointed out. Any God that makes humans expend their entire and very short life worshiping and serving a far-superior being such as Him is a DipFuck(tm) God, IMNSHO.

But then again, I'm stating the obvious:

DipFuck(tm) Religion = DipFuck(tm) God

Farkel

artful

Why would he NOT allow things to continue? There is really no mention of this "continue or not" dilemma in the Bible. I think whenever you have free will there will be "sin", life is what it is, sin and all.

According to the Bible, the only way we can be redeemed and gain God's favor is through Christ.

Therefore, maybe God's original purpose was to have us live in sin on Earth and then be redeemed to heaven by Christ? Paul certainly indicated that the mosaic law (life on earth) was created by God as a shadow of things to come (the redemption to heaven through Christ). Then again, I don't know...

Artful

Edited by - artful on 19 December 2002 12:20:47

ozziepost

G'day all,

Many thanks for your responses and share in this topic. I'm most encouraged!

I think it is indeed "one for the list", Artful!

A very merry Xmas to you all and a happy New Year.

Cheers, Ozzie

Not the study article, but.......

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