Ok how many of you while a JW took the advice to pray on a problem and then open the Bible and start reading. Did you seem to get "just the right scripture" that answered your prayer? They encouraged that where I was. The Bible brings comfort, pray on a matter and read the Bible. If you fall for that is it such a leap to accept that the FDS/GOV BODY can do the same but even more effectively when they are anointed and chosen? Did you ever fall into this trap? Know of any JW's who did this? I did it for awhile, amazing what gnawing inner turmoil can find in random picking through the Word of God, lol. Now its just nuts to think I ever thought that was an anwer. Ok discuss.
Easy to believe the FDS gets direction from God if you do this. Did you?
by Wasanelder Once 14 Replies latest watchtower beliefs
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Heaven
Man, you think you know pretty much everything about this religion and then ...bam... more weird stuff comes out.
I personally never prayed and then opened the Bible. But... what I did do was ask my parents, who were both in the room at the same time, if God was directing the Watchtower.
At the exact same time my Dad answers "No." and my Mom answers "Yes."
You should have seen the Holy Shiite look pass between them. Priceless.
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subytrek
Yeah, it's funny because we were encouraged to do that all the time; pray and then look up scriptures in the Bible to receive encouragement. But, then not too far back I remember a Watchtower article came out that said not to do that; that you had to do research in the WTS index or something and not to rely on just random scriptures. That's another thing I started noticing about the org and it really bothered me was the back and forth, schizophrenic nature of it. You really only notice it when you've been in it for awhile.
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Theredeemer
Even a broken watch is right twice a day.
Also its the same way fortune tellers or palm readers can be "right". When youre looking for answers and you decide to rest your hope on the supernatural, it wont take much to impress you. The right scripture is probably some practicle advice that can be applied to just about everything.
A supernatural event would be if you opened up the bible and the scripture said "Hey you, John Doe! STOP WATCHING PORN YOU WEIRDO!!" in case that was your problem ;)
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villagegirl
Everything is Wachtower index controlled now.
No private reading randomly allowed I believe.
Witnesses "prove" the FDS is who they say they are
based on the Watchtower, not the Bible. Their "proof"
is one paragraph in Acts about a very short letter from
the whole Church and elders in Jerusalem, and the Matt :25
scripture, that mentions two faithul servants not one. And
by the way, if there was a Governing Body in the first century
why didn't they write any of the Greek Scriptures and identify
themselves ? 14 books were written by Paul, who clearly states
he did not go up to Jerusalem or get his instructions from the
Jerusalem Church or elders or Apostles. So what if someone decides
to publish their own magazines or books in this time period ?
Like Paul did ? They are instantly labelled "apostate".
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leaving_quietly
"For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will perform great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, even the chosen ones" - Matt 24:24
It was pointed out to me recently that the word Christ means, literally, "Anointed One". This would then translate into: "For false anointed ones and false prophets will arise..."
Something to think about when someone claims to get direction directly from God.
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Phizzy
When I was not sure where to go, what to do, etc, just after I walked away from the WT, I tried what you outline in the O.P.
Zilch,Nuttin'. F*** all.
I then tried getting on my knees and praying for guidance, first to Jehovah.
Zilch, Nuttin', F'all.
Next I tried getting on my knees and praying to Jesus.
Zilch, Nuttin', F'all.
then I started my voyage of discovery, and found that all I had believed in was nonsense, and that Jehovah and Jesus are characters of fiction, and the Bible is a work of fiction, and a piss-poor one at that.
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Band on the Run
I had a big scene this year about random Bible reading. It is soothsaying. Open Shakespeare's collected plays randomly and there will be nuggets of wisdom there.
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Cold Steel
WasAnElderOnce: ...the advice to pray on a problem and then open the Bible and start reading. Did you seem to get "just the right scripture" that answered your prayer? They encouraged that where I was.
Yeah, I've heard of that one.
A few years ago, a mentalist by the name of Derran Brown got a group of people together, gave them a short form to fill out and an hour later returned with envelopes. He gave each person an envelope with their name on it. The people were amazed how well Brown was able to peg each one of them without knowing anything, really, except their names and maybe where they were from.
He has amazed people with his misdirection and his uncanny abilities, and each participant, when interviewed after reading his summation, thought he posessed some sort of psychic powers of intuition. In fact, all but one was stunned. But what was even more amazing is that, after he let them exchange them with others, they all realized he had given them all the same write-up! It turns out that it was just how the people read them. All of them were able to see themselves in the same write-up.
So no wonder this scripture miracle takes place!
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Gypsy Sam
Botr- precisely right about Shakespeare. Exactly how I feel sometimes.