A Conversation That Sent Me On a Search ...

by snowbird 57 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  snowbird

  In 2000, my boss, a police lieutenant, was nearing retirement and had very little work to do.

  Every afternoon, he used to come out of his office and station himself near my workstation for a chat. There was something about me that seemed to fascinate him. I think it was my being a JW; he used to ask probing questions about my belief.

  One day our conversation centered on sin and judgment. I smugly quoted the WT's view that death cancels out a person's sins. The good lieutenant looked puzzled and asked me "Do you mean that no matter what awful things a person may do, death cancels it all?"

  It hit me like a ton of bricks! The WT's teaching did not make sense. I did a careful reading of Romans 6, compared notes from several commentaries, and came to the conclusion that the Apostle Paul was referring to being dead to the power of sin! Next, I researched Hebrews 9:27 and found out that after we die and are resurrected, we face a judgment for what we did in our prior lives.

  Hebrews 9:27 Just as man is destined to die once, and after that to face judgment. NIV

  Hebrews 9:27 Everyone has to die once, then face the consequences. MSG

  Romans 6:6 For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with that we should no longer be slaves to sin— 7 because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. NIV

  I knew something about that particular teaching had bothered me all along, but I ignored my misgivings.

  It took just one question from one curious person that set me on the road to freedom from WT.

  Thanks for reading.

  Sylvia
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  JWoods

  Many Watchtower teachings are practically Catholic/Mideaval in tone.

  Remember the "sin-eaters"? These were low-caste persons who for a few coins would volunteer to take on a dying high-class persons sins.

  They would put bread on the sinners chest, then the sin-eater would eat it and with a ceremony the priest would transfer the sin over onto the poor worthless oaf. What difference could it make? - he was worthless anyway!

  Both this and the JW all sins cancelled at debt are disturbingly lawyer-like and fly in the face of the more progressive christianity of forgiveness through Christ. At least the Catholics gave up on this, along with "paying to have day by day sins absolved".
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  Chalam

  Hi Sylvia,

  Is that WT teaching for real?!

  Of course, as you know there is only one thing that breaks the power of sin and justifies the believer Isaiah 1:18 Romans 8:3 Galatians 2:16 Revelation 1:6

  All the best,
  Stephen
• 

  snowbird

  the JW all sins cancelled at debt are disturbingly lawyer-like

  Yes, sir, extremely legalistic and inherently unjust.

  Thanks for the enlightenment on "sin-eaters."

  Sylvia
• 

  snowbird

  Hi Sylvia,

  Is that WT teaching for real?!

  Yes, it is. I believe this teaching arose out of a need to refute the hellfire and brimstone beliefs of some religious groups.

  Sylvia
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  tigeress

  yes i always found it odd that those in the modern day that didn't listen to those awfull magazines presentations on the door, would be destroyed at armargedon never to be seen again.

  But ask about Hitler, Stalin and Queen ( bloody) Mary of England and they would say that they didn't know, or that they would be resserected and given 1000 years to change their ways...

  Could never figure that one out
• 

  snowbird

  Could never figure that one out.

  Same here!

  Sylvia
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  poppers

  But ask about Hitler, Stalin and Queen ( bloody) Mary of England and they would say that they didn't know, or that they would be resserected and given 1000 years to change their ways...

  Does anyone think that if the Hitlers and Stalins of history were resurrected and given 1000 years to change their ways that they actually would? It seems to me they would end up doing lots of terrible stuff during their 1000 years. Would they be given a full 1000 years or would they be incarcerated and executed after their first crime? What if they weren't caught, or what if they were falsely accused and then executed? Was there a teaching on any of this?
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  snowbird

  Poppers, if you asked questions like that, you would either be classified as "weak in faith," "thinking independently," or told to wait on Jehovah.

  Sylvia
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  bluecanary

  Wow, thank you for posting this Sylvia! Isn't it amazing that we never put 2+2 together on stuff like this?

  poppers, there is no teaching on that stuff. We were told that it's best not to speculate about it. It was in Jehovah's hands and he would take care of it as he saw fit.