CO will sit in on my "study" this week: any suggestions?

by InterestedOne 60 Replies latest watchtower bible

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  Band on the Run

  The sad part is that you are engaging in this "study" to please your friend, to show her you respect her beliefs. The study is going to lead to a complete breach with your friend. There are only two choices: give up your mind or leave. The Witnesses don't allow any other choice. You may believe you can carve out a differing choice but your friend cannot. She is brainwashed.

  My family has been in since Bible Students day. My great uncles and great grandfather believed they were the remnant b/c all Bible students believed that. It was generational. My grandmother was part of the Great Crowd. It would have been viewed as lunacy and sheer arrogance for any of her generation to be annointed. It stayed this way for generations. My grandmother doubted the authethenticity of my great-grandfather's remnant status but the Witnesses recognized it. Brothers were privileged to bring him the emblems when he was too ill to attend a Kingdom Hall.

  I forgot Rutherford, Knorr's and Franz status. Henschel,s too. Sometimes in the sixties, we attended KH and the very young, very egoistic Overseer wrote to Bethel that he was remnant. It takes a very large head and no humility. Being very long time Witnesses, we laughed so hard at him. We expected Bethel to put him in his place. Rather, he was encouraged. We never accepted him as more than a faker. The Society started saying that the 144,000 already before the throne of God, absent two or three old geezers still alive, were falling away in heaven and needed to be replaced. One is never safe. No one is good enough. This teaching ran against the totality of teachings about 144,000. Since only one or two were alive and sans Armageddon, a solution was needed. When is enough enough! Why worship a God that can't keep a bunch of humans before his very throne faithful? When will Jesus align with Satan? There is no safety, no faithfulness. Doctrines don't matter. They can change in a whim. Want to die for this crap? My God may leave me with questions but my God is faithful and loving. No one would fall away from my God. Their Jehovah and Jesus, the non Christ, are puny.

  You will lose your friend unless you exit now.-- a prediction. Your wilingness to study for her is admirable.
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  moshe

  Being very long time Witnesses, we laughed so hard at him. We expected Bethel to put him in his place. Rather, he was encouraged.

  I remember the early 70's when the Russelite/JWs were still around. Yes, they scoffed at any anointed who were younger than their 70-80 years of age. The number steadily went down, until the around 1980, then it leveled off. In 1988 I made my exit and the increase in the 144,000 was already being manifested. Of course, the old timers were just about all gone by then. An actuary had given me the facts- the real number for the anointed (an average age of 35 in 1935) should have been about 3000-3500 by 1988. The facts I presented to Bethel and to the elders was not welcomed when I explained what the actuary said about their "problem with the numbers" a few years earlier.
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  Ding

  Get a copy of Crisis of Conscience by Ray Franz and ask him to explain his points about the 144,000.

  If he won't discuss "apostate literature" ask him why you should join a religion that won't provide answers to what a former member of their own Governing Body says about their doctrine.

  You can also ask him why you should join a relgious organization that censors what you can and can't read.
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  laverite

  Interestedone, Once you learn enough about the BOrg's teachings -- which you clearly have -- and you then reject 'The Truth' you become bad association, not much better than an official apostate T There is little hope for this friendship. You are worldly, and have rejected the Truth -- you are simply unfit for Christian association and friendship as sad as that is to accept. The book study you have entered into has sealed the fate of your friendship.
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  laverite

  Ask the CO if you conclude what you've learned is rubbish, whether or not your friend will be able to freely associate with you and maintain a friendship with you with no pressure or sanctions from the congregation.
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  mamalove

  If I recall your situation correctly, you work with this JW lady and would like to date her, hence the reason that she is promoting the study before she will share a dinner with you? If I were you, I would feign the busy excuse, go back to your work relationship, and just be her friend. Give it time. Most on here have told you that she will not date you unless you become a JW. You do know that that is a life sentence to the constraints of this man made religion....you don't want that. Not even for a pretty girlfriend or trophy wife. Sorry if that sounds harsh, my heart goes out to you.
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  itsibitsybrainbutbigenoughtosmellarat

  I hope your study likes "being sat on" by the CO , some don't like it that way so much.
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  itsibitsybrainbutbigenoughtosmellarat

  Oh I see that was meant differently, not sexually. OK, ahhh refer back to the other thought

  "Ask the CO if you conclude what you've learned is rubbish, whether or not your friend will be able to freely associate with you and maintain a friendship with you with no pressure or sanctions from the congregation."
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  wasblind

  Hi there IO,

  tell them you looked a copy of the Proclaimers of Gods kingdom book and on pg 76 in the grey box

  it tell of how they built Beth Sarim for the prophets to come back to live in and when they didn't they sold it

  and ask why is that not concrete evidence of a false prophecy, after all in the sept 15, 2010 WT say what they teach

  is from God not man. then tell them on page 163 in that same book it claims millions now living will never die to

  investigate it , it is a fact, and ask him where is ole Judge Rutherford today and that you would like to speak with him

  on these matters
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  Listener

  From the study material

  23 Knowing that he would soon return to heaven, Jesus told his faithful followers that he would “prepare a place” for them there. (John 14:2) Jesus referred to those going to heaven as his “little flock.” (Luke 12:32)

  Luke 12:32 " Have no fear, little flock, because YOUR Father has approved of giving YOU the kingdom In this scripture he wasn't talking about a little flock but he was directing his words to a little flock and verse 22 says he was talking to his disciples.

  Ask him whether the 11,000 current partakers are all 'genuine' annointed. He will probably admit that he doesn't know but that is between them and god. Then you can ask why are they following the FDS that you cannot even ascertain are made up of of genuine annointed or fakes.