by Dark_Princess 55 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
First welcome.
One thing that I want to tell you is that you are told that all the world hates JW's. Not really true, most people just consider them a pain in the butt, but they don't really hate them. The ones that hate them are the ones that used to be JW's, and now we know the brainwashing involved. Keep looking into other religions, and open your mind to other ideas. You will be surprised at what you can learn. Keep coming back.
Leslie
They certainly aren't the world's most hated.
The cover ups, pretense, business clothing and lawyer mentality keep even what is due somewhat at bay.
To invoke Godwin's Law, the Nazi's were hated by the world as well. So... did they fit the description of God's people?
The first proof offered by the JWs is that they are not taught to hate people from other countries. John 15:13 says that the greatest love a person could have for another is to surrend his soul on behalf of his friend. They claim that they have shown love by exposing such things as the atrocities of Hitler (8/22/95 Awake). However, if one reads the actual declaration made by the Witnesses sent to Hitler (1934 Yearbook) they state "the greatest and most oppresive empire on earth is the Anglo-American empire." So, there went the neutrality topic.
The next is that they proclaim God's name. Many other religions use God's name. Check out a song that I have heard in several churches. Then, that they do not celebrate pagan holidays. Again, they don't have a monopoly on this one either. OK, they must preach about God's kingdom. Well, lots of religions preach in various ways about God's Kingdom, so no monopoly there.
There is one test of whether a PERSON (not a group) is in a true religion - 2 Corinthians 13:5 - it has to be done individually but knowing that we have accepted Jesus - and only YOU can know that for YOURSELF.
John 15:13 says that the greatest love a person could have for another is to surrend his soul on behalf of his friend.
I think you are taking this out of context anyway .Jesus was talking about the great sacrifice he would make .
Welcome Princess, nice to have you posting and i hope you get to see some new viewpoints.
All religions are hated by someone, the JWs are no more hated than many other religions. Every day thousands of Christians are tortured or killed for their belief in Jesus.
The reality is that 3 billion people do not hate JWs as they have never heard of JWs. Of the other 3 billion, to most of them JWs are irrelevant are rarely rank a thought.
If persecution is a sign of divine approval, than the Jews should be way up there at the top of the list. 6 million of them were killed by the Nazis in World War II as compared to the hundreds of Jehovah's Witnesses.
Jesus Says, "If the world hates you, You know it has hated me before it has hated you. If you were part of the world, the world would be fond of what is it's own. Now because you are no part of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, on this account the world hates you".
Wow, this is a good point. You know, when I read this scripture; I think that maybe those Branch Dividians were the one true religion. Damn, I guess that Koresh fella was right.
(1) Are they from God, or are they largely from men?
There is your answer.
Do Jw's have a midweek 'Bible study' in which the Bible is opened and talked about freely? Or do they call it a 'Book Study', in which the book of the month is considered paragragh by paragraph, which book is written, produced and distributed 'Largely by men'?
Do Jw's have a Sunday 'Bible study' in which the Bible is opened and talked about freely? Or do they call it a 'Watchtower Study', in which the magazine of the month is considered paragragh by paragraph, which magazine is written, produced and distributed 'Largely by men'?
Do Jw's conduct a true 'Bible study' with interested ones ,in which the Bible is opened and talked about freely? Or do they just call it a 'Bible Study', in which the book of the month is considered paragragh by paragraph, which book is written, produced and distributed 'Largely by men'?
Do Jw's disparage, insult and insinuate evil things about those who have true 'Bible studies' in their churches and homes in which the Bible itself is used and referred to without the use of books written, produced and distributed 'Largely by men'?
Will Jw's disparage, insult and insinuate evil things about those who are or used to be Jw's, who have true 'Bible studies' in their homes in which the Bible itself is used and referred to without the use of books written, produced and distributed 'Largely by men'?
Will Jw's disfellowship, shun, and label as apostate any other Jw's who dare to have true 'Bible studies' in their homes in which the Bible itself is used and referred to without the use of books written, produced and distributed 'Largely by men'?
Jeff
By the Way - welcome to the forum. May God bless your efforts to find happiness as you search your heart.
dark_princess, the primary determinant for identifying the "true religion" is that it must be "true". JWs fail on that premise, so no other factors are relevant.
