How Would You Answer...?

by EmptyInside 18 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

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  EmptyInside

  I'm wondering what to reply to someone who said the main message of the "truth" is the same. That Jehovah is God and He sent His only-begotten son to die for us,so that,we could have everlasting life on earth.

  The rest of the changes don't really matter to them. That witnesses are the only religion to teach this and the only ones preaching it.

  I'm not going to say much,because I'm on a stale mate with this person. I can't be outed for apostasy. Although,I don't see it that way,I'm just starting to think.
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  WontLeave

  If that actually was their mission, a whole lot of ex-JWs wouldn't be "ex". Check out some of their blasphemous claims I cite in Do Christians Have Human Leaders? They might knock on doors with a message that sounds pure, but the real goal is a bait-and-switch scam. The central doctrine of JWs is obedience and unity under the thumb of the ever-elusive "faithful and discreet slave". Interesting how their authority is so absolute when their indentity is so tentative.
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  bennyk

  [T]he main message of the "truth" is the same. That Jehovah is God and He sent His only-begotten son to die for us,so that,we could have everlasting life on earth.

  The original "main message" taught by Russell was that all true Christians (both the 144 000 and the "great company" [crowd] ) would receive a heavenly reward; non-christians and athiests would be eligible for everlasting life on earth. Thus, the "main message" is not the same.

  The rest of the changes don't really matter to them.

  The other changes should matter. If one fails to accept the Watch Tower Society's current teachings (no matter what they may be), one is already no longer an "approved associate." And if one speaks against "the rest of the changes", one will be disfellowshiped per the "Questions from Readers" in the 01. April 1986 Watchtower.
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  ziddina

  Urk!! I feel for you, EmptyInside...

  I just can't think of an appropriate response...

  All of my responses would involve asking the person whether they really wanted to worship a 3,500-year-old Bronze-Age Middle-Eastern male volcano 'god'......

  And then I'd make it worse, by pointing out how many other deities are far, far OLDER than that particular desert-nomadic-male-sheepherders' god...
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  Found Sheep

  well what made me think it was the "truth" was 1914 was the generation that would not die.... long awkward pause....
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  EmptyInside

  Hahaha,Zid,no that wouldn't go over well.

  And bennyk,I already explained that Russell only held out for the heavenly hope. But,you see,they changed all that and admitted they were wrong. The light gets brighter,and brighter,until it really starts to annoy me,and glares right in my eyes so I can't see a thing. I have a bit of a headache too.
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  Ding

  The WTS is not the only group that teaches a paradise earth. A number of Protestant scholars believe that Revelation 21 teaches that the distinction between heaven and earth will be abolished in the end times. See the book Heaven by Randy Alcorn as an example. Many other groups also recognize the name Jehovah for God but focus on the name Jesus because the NT does so.

  You might ask your JW friends to what extent the WTS still believes the 1914 generation will by no means pass away.
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  FatFreek 2005

  For them to say that their main message has always been the same actually denies one of the things Watchtower hates -- contradictions. They'll criticize the many church contradictions (no excuses allowed) while ignoring their own, chalking their contradictions up to mistakes and New Light.

  The following essay link is designed for newly interested ones but JWs had better be prepared. More and more householders are asking the JW an embarrasing question contained herein. "The Great Watchtower Contradiction" exposes Watchtower by revealing the single most outrageous Watchtower contradiction that most of us (ex-JWs) have seen while most JWs have not seen. It goes beyond the regular expose by answering two vital questions: why they've contradicted themselves on this single issue and why most JWs are not even aware that it's happened. It does it from Watchtower's own publications and encourages the person to get their own WT Library CD for verification. It does it without arguing subjective doctrine, which, as you know is like talking to your cat. A 9 minute read.

  Len
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  still thinking

  I quite like that one zid...what was the bible reference for that volcano part...Exodus something????...gotta say that made me stop in my tracks when I read it....LOL
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  ziddina

  Exodus 19: 16-19 - but I suspect that the account of the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah may describe a volcanic eruption, too - that's far more likely, given the volcanic nature of the general area, than that weird theory that a COMET incinerated the twin cities...