JWs at my door today

by somebody 14 Replies latest jw friends

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  adelmaal

  I should not waste my time researching the scriptures as it would only confuse me

  My experience was that the JWs read and used their Bibles often. The whole thing that really impressed me at first was that everything I heard from them came right out of the Bible. I just didn't realize how twisted their logic was when it came to interpretating certain scriptures to support such deluded practices as disfellowshipping, not celebrating the holidays, not saluting the flag, not being involved in extracurricular activities, not getting a college education, and on and on... I also didn't realize they put the teachings in the publications before the teachings in the Bible (such as is done with the Book of Mormon IMHO). I say this because if you question the correctness of what is said by the Society in the publications you are considered an apostate/a dog returning to its vomit -- give me a break!
  

  When I studied with the JWs my parents had a pastor come talk to me and he tried in vain to prove that the Trinity doctrine was Bible based. Each time he turned to a scripture I would say, "lets read the whole chapter" and there would usually be scriptures, which put the matter in context and disproved (in my opinion) what he was saying. I would then direct him to a scripture further explaining my belief and his immediate response would not be to discuss what I had just shown him but to turn to another scripture somewhere else like that would make the point I just made go away or cancel out the scripture I just showed him or something. He got nowhere and commented to my parents as to how well I knew my Bible.

  I think JWs use their Bibles and can quote scriptures all day long. They just always need to take it to another level (i.e. head chopped off at birthday celebrations; that must mean we can't celebrate birthdays - LOL). The whole problem is that they have been misled by a Society on steroids when it comes to quoting scriptures, elaborating on the interpretation, expounding on the meaning, understanding the deeper things, meditating on the solid food, etc. - blah blah blah. They use the scriptures as a means to an end or to support what is said in the literature rather than just letting the Bible speak for itself.

  Sure they know their Bibles they just have severely distorted views when it comes to what's being said in those Bibles.
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  rwagoner

  I was raised in the dubs in the 60's/70's so I remember reading my Bible, several times, but it was when I started to notice and question scriptures that contradicted the publications that I got in trouble. I couldn't reconcile it myself and went to the elders, like a good little dub and that is when we have the conversation that I posted before.

  I lost a lot of faith in the org after that... how could they put their publications over the Bible ?

  Obviouly I know how..and why now. LOL

  RandyW
• 

  Mary

  I know of former pastors, ministers, and even a former "pastoret" (a female pentecostal pastor, aka known as "pastora" in Spanish), all which of have divinity degrees, but most importantly read they Bible several times over, and all came to the conclusion the WT teaches the truth of the Bible.

  I sincerely doubt it. While there are many scholars who indicate that the idea of the Trinity isn't in the bible, there are so many other ridiculous doctrines that the WTS teaches that can be proven to be wrong, that there's no way all these other people would believe them. The Society's bizarre ideas about 1914, 1918, 1919, 1935, the 144,000, the insane idea that Jesus is only the mediator for 144,000 people, the blood issue, forcing it's members to go bang on people's door predicting doom for them if they don't convert, making their members report how many hours they spend each month doing this, birthdays, anniversaries, the whole shunning issue----the list is endless and you're not fooling anyone here by claiming that these other educated ministers believe all this tripe.
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  jgnat

  Aldemall, I just wanted to say I really like your balanced reply.

  I think JWs use their Bibles and can quote scriptures all day long. They just always need to take it to another level (i.e. head chopped off at birthday celebrations; that must mean we can't celebrate birthdays - LOL). The whole problem is that they have been misled by a Society on steroids when it comes to quoting scriptures, elaborating on the interpretation, expounding on the meaning, understanding the deeper things, meditating on the solid food, etc. - blah blah blah. They use the scriptures as a means to an end or to support what is said in the literature rather than just letting the Bible speak for itself.

  Sure they know their Bibles they just have severely distorted views when it comes to what's being said in those Bibles.
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  adelmaal

  Why thank you jgnat. I just kept thinking about when I was a JW and I truly felt everything I said and everything I was taught was in the Bible. I could turn to many scriptures to prove a point and I sincerely thought I had the cure to cancer, which I needed to share with everyone else. I just didn't realize how much you can be mislead by interpretations, opinions and elaborations. I guess 3 times through the Revelation Book in bookstudy can do that to a person - . Now I feel like I'm getting to know my Bible all over again... It's much easier, much less stressful and much less painful this time around though!

  I probably would have left the organization sooner had an elder said to me what he said to rwagoner. That would have been absolute drama for me and yet it would have been a blessing in disguise.