Charity:The Scripture That Makes Them Liars

by metatron 6 Replies latest jw friends

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  metatron

  Take a look at this:

  Acts 6

  The Choosing of the Seven

  1 In those days when the number of disciples was increasing, the Grecian Jews among them complained against the Hebraic Jews because their widows were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. 2 So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables. 3 Brothers, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them 4 and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word."

  5 This proposal pleased the whole group. They chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit; also Philip, Procorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas from Antioch, a convert to Judaism. 6 They presented these men to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

  7 So the word of God spread. The number of disciples in Jerusalem increased rapidly, and a large number of priests became obedient to the faith.

  What do we learn from this?

  1) The Apostles authorized an internal charity within the early church.

  2) That charity took money and labor to maintain -as it extended to many congregations ( Paul refers to 'a woman put on the list')

  3) and ( here's the blockbuster!) working on this charity took men AWAY FROM "THE MINISTRY OF THE WORD" Imagine

  that! Waiting on tables instead of being pushed into the ministry! Wow! How unthinkable!

  and finally

  4) "SO" or "Consequently" , the early church grew rapidly. You see - even in the "New World Translation" - the two things are linked

  together, with the charity taken care of so that the church could grow!

  Now, we don't see many starving widows today but what about other needs? Kids drifting away "from the truth" and getting

  into trouble? Old people that are sick and confined?

  The Bible says nothing about a "Service Meeting" or a "Book Study" or a "Watchtower Study". It does mention "love feasts"

  ( Jude) How about scheduled communal meals? Would that help build brotherhood? especially since they dumped food

  service at assemblies?

  Don't let the selfish, short-sighted old men on the "Governing Body" deceive you. Early Christians set a powerful example of caring

  and charity that got noticed amidst the brutality of the Roman Empire - and they clearly had an efficient division of labor!

  metatron
• 

  Scully

  I also liked the Scripture by Paul about "winning them without a word". JWs seem to forget that living a sermon is far superior to giving a sermon.
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  daystar

  I've discussed this sort of thing with my inactive sister (blood) for some time now. If they would only focus a bit more on the individual development and happiness or its members rather than on the noncorporeal "organization", they might be a much healthier religion to be a part of.
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  Apostate Kate

  Matthew 25:35-45 for I was hungry, and you gave me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me drink; I was a stranger, and you took me in; naked, and you clothed me; I was sick, and you visited me; I was in prison, and you came to me.' "Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, and feed you; or thirsty, and give you a drink? When did we see you as a stranger, and take you in; or naked, and clothe you? When did we see you sick, or in prison, and come to you?' "The King will answer them, 'Most assuredly I tell you, inasmuch as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers you did it to me.' Then he will say also to those on the left hand, 'Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry, and you didn't give me food to eat; I was thirsty, and you gave me no drink; I was a stranger, and you didn't take me in; naked, and you didn't clothe me; sick, and in prison, and you didn't visit me.' "Then they will also answer, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry, or thirsty, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and didn't help you?' "Then he will answer them, saying, 'Most assuredly I tell you, inasmuch as you didn't do it to one of the least of these, you didn't do it to me.'

  I always say; they can organize 6 million JWs into magazine distributors, but not one food bank, soup kitchen, clothing ministry, helping hands for the chronically ill or shut ins, homeless shelters, clean water wells for countries where children die before they reach 1 years old from dysentary for lack of clean water, (there are Christian charities that drill water wells in Africa for villagers).

  Remember the JW motto? "Give them a bowl of soup they will be hungry again, give them a Watchtower magazine and you give them eternal life" Too bad that doesn't agree with the Bible that they think they follow.
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  metatron

  And the Parable of the Sheep and the Goats centers on the fact that the charity is extended towards strangers, not identified

  "members of the anointed" as the Watchtower claims. The "brothers" are unknown to both the sheep and goats and the whole

  parable hangs on that fact.

  metatron
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  XJW4EVR

  Metatron, that was a very well thought out exposition of Acts.
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  Mary

  So the Twelve gathered all the disciples together and said, "It would not be right for us to neglect the ministry of the word of God in order to wait on tables.

  The Witnesses zero in on this statement and say "See! It's not right for us to neglect the ministry in order to do charity work!" and of course, no one would question them. I did a post on this a few months ago when there was a troll from the Borg on here who claimed that "Jesus had a dismissive attitude toward charity". I lambasted him good for and showed him the scriptures proving otherwise.

  As for Matthew 25:35-45; well, we all know that they apply this to how the R&F suck up and worship the Governing Body---not doing charity work............it's a shame too, because if they got 6 million people go out and do some charity work, they'd actually be making a difference in the world and the Witnesses would feel good about themselves too, doing something worthwhile and productive.