the cheap trick for believers...

by inbetween 8 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • inbetween
    inbetween

    Yesterdays WT study (WT January 2022) stressed the issue, to set aside time to deepen the relationship to God.

    In order to strengthen one`s faith, it was encouraged to ask God anytime for basically anything. And each time God answers your prayers the faith grows.

    Now, each one of us has wishes, desires, hopes. Some naturally will fail, some will come true. If I just present these to anyone, lets say the Jewish god, or Thor or Zeus, I could convince myself of their existence and support.

    On a side note, Jw always claim, that there are no modern miracles. So how would you define divine intervention in ones personal life?

  • waton
    waton

    par 3 seems to involve time as such, not just any time. as if only wt time/ wt think matters.

    an appeal to self indoctrinate, circular reasoning to close the loop against the intrusion of better more enlightened answers.

  • truth_b_known
    truth_b_known

    Experiment #1:

    Every day for 30 consecutive days offer 3 different prayers -

    Prayer 1 - Ask Jehovah for X

    Prayer 2 - Ask Thor for Y

    Prayer 3 - Ask Zeus for Z

    At the end of 30 days tally which god granted the most prayers.

    If Jehovah grants 0 prayers and the gods grant any prayers a JW might say that it was Satan who was granting those prayers and that Jehovah didn't grant any of prayers because you were praying to false gods. However, how would Satan be able to grant any prayer in less he too is a listener prayers - omniscient?

    Experiment #2

    For 30 consecutive days offer a prayer asking for the same thing to Jehovah, Thor, and Zeus.

    At the end of 30 days tally the number of prayers granted.

    If any prayers were granted this would once again be refuted by JWs as Satan at work. However, once again, that would mean that Satan is a mind reader, omniscient, a hearer of prayers.

    Experiment #3

    Prayer to Jehovah for reasonable things such as "Please help me obtain a new job. Please help me pay the rent. Please help me find new clothes for the meetings." Then, only do spiritual activities - go to meetings, participate in the ministry, do Bible study. Do this for 30 consecutive days. Do not do anything on your own to further your requests (e.g. apply for jobs). After 30 days, stop praying for those things and only act on your own to obtain them.

    At the end of 60 days see which method helped obtain your goals.

  • nowwhat?
    nowwhat?

    I asked an elder that once. If God does not miraculously intervene on behalf of individuals why pray for the recovery of a sick loved one? Answer - it doesn't hurt! 🙄

  • punkofnice
    punkofnice
  • road to nowhere
    road to nowhere

    If I ever win lottery I will claim divine direction.

    As for studying, best to be a slow reader.

    If you casually follow trends in churches you will find fads. Things like the "way". The ever present obedient child who listens and is saved from a lion/ car/ river. And my favorite: letters thanking mom and dad for joining army/ college/ no college (pioneer). The truth there is when we become adults we find dad wasn't dumb.

  • truth_b_known
    truth_b_known

    That's a classic video, PunkofNice!

    Don't forget -

    • God already knows our past, present, and future.
    • God already knows what we need and what's best for us.

    Person gets cancer - pray for them.

    Person's cancer is cured - "Praise God! God is great!"

    Person dies from cancer - "Well, it was God's will."

    Well, if it was God's will the person die from cancer why did you pray against God's will? If it was already God's will for the person to survive cancer what good did it do to pray?

    Conclusion - prayer is useless to ask God for anything. He's already made up his mind. If you can change God's mind then God has been corrected by his imperfect creation.

  • Lee Marsh
    Lee Marsh

    I was 10 when I started praying for God to help me stop my father from abusing me. Well that didn't work. I actually walked into a police station and reported him - 60 years ago. The police arrested him. Now some people would say that God gave me the strength to do it. No I don't think so.

    Later I prayed for help to stop my step-father. Well that one didn't work either. My mother caught him with me and put me in foster care and kept him. Nice new JW studying family. Well I suppose some might say God made her walk in and catch him.

    A few years later I was praying again for my elder husband to stop abusing me. That didn't work either until I left him and the JWs.

    I see a definite theme here. God did not intervene. Not ever. It was always me that had to do it. Not as a child and not as a JW wife.

    OK I will roll my eyes and some might say God DID help.

    Well he isn't exactly helping me now with the cancer. Personally I think he should be doing more important things; stop wars, deal with famine, would be good places to start but I don't exactly see any god helping with any of that. God seems to be willing to watch women, children and babies be slaughtered in different parts of the world and god sits and does nothing.

    Even my children were young they called social services for friends who were being abused.

    If kids can do something to protect the innocent why can't any god do it?

  • joey jojo
    joey jojo

    Jws are tricked into believing they are the main focus of a great universal struggle. It makes them feel special.

    This earth will continue spinning, completely indifferent to how anyone, or any group feels.

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