The Kingdom Ministry and Jehovah's Witnesses

by radar 16 Replies latest jw friends

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  radar

  What is the purpose of the Kingdom Ministry?

  The 1995 October 15th Watchtower stated that the parable of the sheep and the goats will be fulfilled some time after the Great Tribulation.
  Up till that time JWs were led to believe they were engaged in a “separating work” in fulfilment of that “sheep and goats” parable.
  But from 1995 on, the Watchtower’s increasing new light shifted the emphasis from a “separating” to a “preparatory” work.

  This leads to questions : What is the purpose of their Kingdom Ministry and in what way does it prepare people?

  It as been stated by the Watchtower magazine that all those in Hades/grave will rise and be resurrected in the 1000yr reign of Christ. The only exception to this rule is those who have “sinned against the spirit” these the watchtower say will not go down into Hades but into oblivion. (Those that commit this sin would be those who evidently recognize the Holy Spirit yet reject it afterwards, like the Pharisees.)

  Logically, those who arrive in that New World, having been so miraculously raised from the dead will have no trouble in accepting the fact that God’s hand as brought them there. Consequently the opportunity to believe in “Divine” rullership would not be an issue for these people.( living according to the rules thereafter may be an issue with some)

  So where does this leave the preaching work?

  Without knowledge there is no sin
  Using this Watchtower logic then, by knocking at people’s doors, JWs are preparing the majority who reject their message to eternal death!
  If a person is assured passage to this New world at death, then surely these people should be left well alone till after the Great Tribulation, where each will have ideal environment of making a truly informed choice? Unlike the conditions which surround a person today.

  When one thinks about the events of September 11th, it is quite possible to say that Bin Laden got more people into the New World than any single Jehovah’s Witness.

  For those that never receive a “Witness” before the Great tribulation, it is said that God will look into their hearts and judge accordingly.
  Which begs another question as to why God cannot do this without the aid of JWs?

  While attending the 5 weekly meeting per week, seduces the average JW into believing that the whole world knows about this Kingdom message.
  In reality the majority of people in the world have no idea what they are talking about, and I suspect, these days the average JW does not either.
• 

  BATHORY

  G'Day radar

  Your well drafted post is certainly food for thought. Very good points you make.

  Of late i have been noticing that when speaking around this subject, the brothers have been stressing to us that the witnessing work is more to sharpen our beliefs than to " convert " others. Now that sounds stupid, and really it is. But what damage is it causing ?

  It is bringing to peoples attention AT LEAST the subject of a God and a lifes purpose, it may well get some thinking on the subject where they then find themselves awakaning a sleeping spiritual monster within, there their journey starts.

  In this world abundant in hate ( and good ) it atleast keeps people questioning. This forum would probably not have existed without it, and we all would never have been acquainted.

  Lousy logic but true.
• 

  City Fan

  Radar - you said:

  "For those that never receive a “Witness” before the Great tribulation, it is said that God will look into their hearts and judge accordingly.
  Which begs another question as to why God cannot do this without the aid of JWs?"

  I agree entirely. These were the sort of little questions that used to plague me constantly when I went to meetings.
  I presumed a serial killer would be destroyed at Armageddon - but if he got run over by a car the day before Armageddon he'd get a resurrection, wouldn't he?? Is that fair ??

  What would happen to the billion or so Chinese who had never heard of JW's?
  I was always told that God would look at their heart condition, but this invalidated the point of the ministry - seperating the sheep from the goats.

  But that's just another doctrine that's changed in the few years since I left.
  Just add it to changes with the blood issue, Generation of 1914, King of the North/ King of the South, and on and on and on......
• 

  herbert

  City Fan,

  Good points. Pursuing that idea, it's interesting that the spread of early Christianity was essentially restricted to the confines of the Roman Empire. Rodney Stark's book presents some interesting explanations as to why that was the case - strangely, Stark appears alongside JR Brown on the WT's web site.

  So, what it boils down to is that Christianity is not a global religion but a local one, with no more claims on exclusivity to God than any other. Presumably, if a God wanted Christianity to be the "only true Way" then He'd have set it up so that all nations at least had an equal shot at it.

  Herbert
• 

  gypsyqueen

  Excellent rhetoric. Things are moving so fast, I can hardly digest any thing. I've often wondered the exact same questions. And I thought I was pretty smart. Now I'm sad.
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  Gopher

  Picking up on "City Fan's" point-

  I was always told that God would look at their heart condition, but this invalidated the point of the ministry - seperating the sheep from the goats.

  So if God is an excellent reader of hearts, why doesn't he just read everyone's hearts in his perfect way, rather than sending humans around to a portion of a mankind to test their heart condition (i.e., their response to "Christ's brothers" -- as we were taught was the meaning of Matthew 25: 31-46).

  -J.R.

  Don't let yesterday use up too much of today.--Will Rogers, 1879-1935
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  metatron

  If the Pakistanis and Hindus ever incinerate each other,
  I wouldn't be surprized to hear some dumbass C.O. conclude
  that this mercifully gets them a resurrection instead of
  dying at Armageddon.

  metatron
• 

  bchapp

  Without knowledge there is no sin
  Using this Watchtower logic then, by knocking at people’s doors, JWs are preparing the majority who reject their message to eternal death!

  Well I didn't reject the "message" right off hand. I studied for a long time, but I just kept having these doubts. I remember thinking, if only I hadn't heard the message in the first place I'd be better off. I guess I just didn't have the "right heart condition", maybe if I keep studying I will. I got so depressed, I could never feel that good feeling your supposed to have. I guess I'm doomed, so what's the point. I'm so thankful for the people on this board for sharing their stories. Now I realize it wasn't me that had the problem. It was their false teachings.

  "If the truth hurts most of us so badly that we don't want it told,
  it hurts even more grievously those who dare to tell it." (Judge Ben Lindsey, 1869-1943)
• 

  collegegirl

  This is a really good topic. I had these same thoughts since I was little. My dad is an inactive JW, so I was always worried that he would be destroyed because he knew the "truth" but rejected it. But then I had a little hope when I thought that, well, jehovah knows what's in his heart and knows he is a great guy, so maybe he'll be ok. It's stupid for a little kid to have to worry about stuff like that. Stupid, and very unfair.

  I also asked my sister (2 years younger than me) about the purpose of service if Jehovah had the final say anyhow? She is 17, and gave the typical JW answer... "we are just educating and giving hope for a better future." HAHAHAH! yeah, whatever....
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  Valis

  I think the KM is just another tool to get the publishers to sell more books and videos..

  "Are you using our videos to their full potential?"
  Feb 2002 KM Page 1

  "How do you plan to use the Noah video now?"
  Feb 2002 KM Page 2

  A rather blunt instrument, but effective nonetheless.

  Sincerely,

  District Overbeer