Review of the November 15 study article - "Stand Firm in the Faith"

by Divergent 20 Replies latest watchtower bible

  • Divergent
    Divergent

    This study article poses questions that we should ask ourselves. Don't have time to analyze the whole thing, so will start from paragraph 8:

    8 Do God’s promises seem less real to me now than they once did? For instance, God has promised to destroy the present system of things. Yet, are we distracted by the world’s array of entertainment options, thus weakening our faith in God’s promise? We might start to doubt that the end is really near. (Hab. 2:3) Here is another example. God promises to forgive us on the basis of the ransom. If, though, we became obsessed with guilt over our past mistakes, we could begin to doubt whether Jehovah has really “blotted out” all our sins. (Acts 3:19) Consequently, we could lose our joy in God’s service and become inactive.
    Totally irrelevant. I lost my joy & became inactive because it became evident to me that the organization does not have the truth



    9 Am I as diligent in God’s service as I once was? The apostle Paul showed that working hard for Jehovah leads to our having “the full assurance of the hope down to the end.” However, what could happen if we began to focus our efforts on personal pursuits, such as by taking a job that pays well but that interferes with our worship? Our faith could weaken, and we could “become sluggish,” doing less for Jehovah than our circumstances allow.—Heb. 6:10-12.
    This is ironic. The previous paragraph tells us not to become obsessed with guilt. Yet, this paragraph is designed to guilt-trip! Also, take a look at this sentence: "Doing less for Jehovah than our circumstances allow". The problem here is that we are never able to do enough for Jehovah! No matter what we do, we are always told to do more. If we are not pioneering, can we do more & pioneer? If we are auxiliary pioneering, can we do more & regular pioneer? If we are regularly pioneering, can we do more & become a special pioneer? Preach to more people, do more return visits, start more studies? Nothing is ever enough!



    10 Do I struggle to forgive personal offenses? When others offend or hurt us, we could focus on how we feel and then be tempted to tell them off or to cut them off by not speaking to them. On the other hand, if we forgive, we show our faith in Jehovah. How so? Those who sin against us owe us a debt, just as our sins put us in debt to God. (Luke 11:4) When we forgive others, we have to trust that gaining God’s favor by doing so is worth more than making them pay back their debt. Jesus’ disciples recognized that forgiving others requires faith. When he told them to forgive even those who had sinned against them repeatedly,they begged: “Give us more faith.”—Luke 17:1-5.
    So cutting people off by not speaking to them is wrong. This would mean that shunning is wrong!

    11 Do I chafe at Scriptural counsel? Instead of looking for a way to benefit from the counsel, we might be focusing on some defect in the counsel or in the counselor. (Prov. 19:20) We might thus miss an opportunity to bring our thinking into line with God’s.

    What if the defect in the counsel or counselor is valid? What if there is clear evidence that the counsel given is invalid? (blood transfusions, 2 witness rule, etc,?)



    12 Do I murmur against appointed brothers in the congregation? When the Israelites focused on the bad report of the ten faithless spies, they began to murmur against Moses and Aaron. Jehovah then asked Moses: “How much longer will they not put faith in me?” (Num. 14:2-4,11) Yes, the Israelites’ murmuring actually showed a lack of trust in God, who had appointed Moses and Aaron. Likewise, if we constantly grumble about those whom God is using to lead his people, is this not an indication that our faith in God has weakened?
    Moses & Aaron were able to perform miracles which proved that they had God's backing. What signs have the Watchtower leaders / GB performed to show that they have God's backing? What evidence is there that the Watchtower leaders / GB do not have God's backing?


    Paragraphs 16 - 20 offers some solutions for our problems. What are these? Personal study, meditation, prayer, association, meetings, ministry. Same old useless advice! Been there, tried that, done that, repeatedly, many times, didn't work! Ended up fading instead... LOL

  • DesirousOfChange
    DesirousOfChange

    Moses & Aaron were able to perform miracles which proved that they had God's backing. What signs have the Watchtower leaders / GB performed to show that they have God's backing?

    My mother called me (because of my "murmuring" against brothers) and I asked her the same questions -- Where is the shekinah light? When did they last turn a river to blood?

    JWs are so deep in their trance that they cannot think.

    Doc

  • stuckinarut2
    stuckinarut2

    One of the most disturbing articles of recent times!

    More evidence of FOG (fear, obligation, guilt)

  • DATA-DOG
    DATA-DOG

    So the "reasoning" goes like this:

    "From a second advent perspective, ( JWism is an Adventist/Millerite Neo-Zionist/ Communist amalgam.) the promises of "God" may seem to be delaying; therefore, you must be distracted by the entertainment of the world which exists because "God" allowed suffering."

    Basically, it's YOUR fault. Makes perfect sense. Let's review: ...........

    DD

  • konceptual99
    konceptual99

    These articles are all geared towards making it seem like the organisation cares about the inactive. Yet, as pointed out, all they do is put the issue onto the inactive person, make it their problem. Not once do they make any concessions that organisational processes may be to blame, constant failed promises and expectations - anything that admits any liability on the part of the organisation.

    Pointless trash.

  • Naoscillator
    Naoscillator

    How's this for healthy advice? When reality makes you sad, retreat into WT fantasy-land, to wit:

    (From the simpwified edition)

    How can we imitate Jesus’ example? Meditate on the wonderful promises Jehovah has made. Imagine yourself in the new world. Write about or draw what you will do in Paradise. Or make a list of resurrected people you would like to talk with and what you would like to say to them. See these as God’s promises, not just to people in general, but to you personally.

  • Divergent
    Divergent

    Naoscillator:

    Or make a list of resurrected people you would like to talk with and what you would like to say to them.


    To Marilyn Monroe: Hey babe... wanna go for a date?

  • fastJehu
    fastJehu

    Naoscillator

    §17.... Imagine yourself in the new world. Write about or draw what you will do in Paradise. Or make a list of resurrected people you would like to talk with and what you would like to say to them....

    Like someone here wrote about this:

    One more trick cults use to bypass critical thinking skills - telling you to imagine something. Imagination operates completely independent from logical thought and critical thinking (which is part of what makes it so useful to is) but it still can create the same emotion as a real event.

  • Beth Sarim
    Beth Sarim
    To publish a study of this nature, the WT society must be aware of murmuring/dissention amongst the rank and file.
  • BluesBrother
    BluesBrother

    The article talks a lot about Peter - the time when he too walked on water, bottled it and began to sink. Jesus chided him for losing focus and "faith" at that moment.But ...at least he had the nerve to get out and do it ,just lost focus temporarily, hardly like a person whose faith has gone.

    8 Do God’s promises seem less real to me now than they once did? For instance, God has promised to destroy the present system of things.

    Well, "Expectation postponed makes the heart sick" Prov.13.12

    12]...Likewise, if we constantly grumble about those whom God is using to lead his people, is this not an indication that our faith in God has weakened?

    No, it is a lack of faith in the claim that those men make ,of being truly appointed by God

    To increase faith

    16] by studying in detail the scriptural proof that we live in the last days

    Been there done that . I found there were still more questions than answers . One day I realised that 'It is just not true!'



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