How would you answer? Part 1

problemaddict

So in my limited quest on here and elsewhere, I am intrigued by the kind of canned responses that come from conversations with my friends and family about "my doubts". These are of course conversation I usually should not have had in the mind state I was in, or in any state right Leaving WT?

Anyways, I wanted to throw out here some of the common things espoused, and see what you all thought was a fair and even handed response. I thought maybe this could be a resource for others, since they too will run into the SAME questions as we all do. It would be nice to have a couple of prepared thoughts knowing this is where they usually go. I will start with 2 I think are key. Maybe only one. If this is a good idea, great. If it isn't or has been done before, just let me know.

1) "But Jehovah has always had an organization."

2) (related to 1) Jehovah is a God of order, such as in the laws of the universe. Consider how has he chosen to accomplish his will in the last days. Would it be an orderly solution? Could a lose association of believers all with various ideals be considered orderly?

Thoughts?

leavingwt

Do you know what would intrigue you even more?

What they're currently saying to one another about you, behind your back.

"If he's not careful, Satan is going to lead him right into the darkness."

"I bet he's cheating on his wife."

Christ Alone

For your #1 question, this speech by David Reed really helped me: http://womensministry.info/audio/teaching/david_reed_gods_org.mp3

leavingwt

All jokes aside, you must ask *them* the questions. Get them out of their comfort zone. Don't ask questions for which they already know the answers.

Example: "How would a Mormon ever discover that he was born into the wrong religion?"

The answer to that question includes the Mormon reading "apostate" literature, and examining the religion of his birth with a critical eye.

Perry

1) "But Jehovah has always had an organization."

Wrong. Jesus said the wheat and the weeds would grow up together and you wouldn't be able to tell them apart until harvest time. Does that sound organized? It does if you are Jesus and know your sheep and the sheep knows ONLY him & his voice.

But, since Jesus isn't accepted as the Mediator for the average JW, neither one of them know each other. So sad.

sir82

1) "But Jehovah has always had an organization."

What was the organization Jehovah was using in the year 674 AD? How about 1512 AD? What was the organiation he was using in the 1860's, just prior to Russell's establishing the Watchtower? Why didn't Russell join that organization?

2) (related to 1) Jehovah is a God of order, such as in the laws of the universe. Consider how has he chosen to accomplish his will in the last days. Would it be an orderly solution? Could a lose association of believers all with various ideals be considered orderly?

What is Jehovah's will in the last days?

(Standard JW answer - "preach the good news to the whole earth")

Do you really think JWs, or anyone else for that matter, are really accomplishing that?

There are 1.2 billion Chinese, and maybe 8 or 10,000 JWs to preach to them, clustered in the big cities. Easily 1 billion+ Chinese have never heard the word "Jehovah" nor seen a Watchtower magazine.

There are 1 billion+ Indians, with maybe 25,000 JWs to preach to them, once again clustered into just a few large population centers. Easily 1 billion+ Indians have never heard the word Jehovah, nor seen a Watchtower magazine.

There are 700 million+ living in predominently Muslim lands, where preaching, if not outright banned, is limited to attempting to convert the small number of Christians around. Easily 700 million+ Muslims have never heard the word "Jehovah" nor seen a Watchtower magazine.

Throw in North Korea, Somalia, "seldom worked territory", etc., and easily 1/2 the earth's population has never even heard the word "Jehovah" nor seen a Watchtower magazine.

The WTS has had 130+ years and they've missed half their target. Does that sound "orderly"?

Black Sheep

Don't answer their questions. They reckon they have all the answers, so insist they answer yours. Know the canned answers before you ask. When they make an incorrect statement, challenge them to document it.

If you don't control the topic it'll be like trying to catch a greasy pig.

LostGeneration

problemaddict,

You already have plenty of replies that would answer those questions.

But here is what you really have to remember. These are programmed, thought-stopping responses. They might say them, but they aren't really asking for you to answer them dammit! They already have the answer, their answer!

The neuron pathways of the average JW have been conditioned, over and over, thousands of times! Think of Pavlov's dogs, automatically conditioned!

They might pose a question, but its just a setup to get you to admit their already supplied answer.

You can't win this way. Their thinking pathway is already set, so they really aren't going to consider any contrary evidence.

They have to want freedom, no amount of you wanting freedom for them matters.

Christ Alone

Even when God DID use an organization (the Israellites), it was not wrong to disagree and teach truth. Jeremiah spoke against the organization of his day and was effectively df'd for it.

What organization did Noah belong to? It was just a family arrangement. What about Abraham? Joseph? Jacob?

God dealt the families and individuals except with the nation of Israel. When Jesus included the gentiles in that "group", there was no NEW organization established. See how God established Israel? Didn't happen again in the early church. There were people that continually questioned what was being taught. The Boreans are a great example. They wouldn't even accept the apostles teaching unless they were convinced from scripture.

Then the brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea. When they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews. These were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether these things were so. (Act 17:10-11 NKJV)

leavingwt

In the year 1850, who was God's Organization?

How would you answer? Part 1

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