A Question thats troubling me........

by aud8 35 Replies latest jw friends

• 

  JeffT

  There are several large organizations that help send Christian missionaries all over the world. These are supported by churches all over the world. My church, being very large, supports a number of missions in various parts of the US and other countries. Additionally (typically in the summer)we send out teams from some of the and other groups on special assignments.

  These missionaries are not trying to bring people into our church. They can't in most cases, because we are an independent church. But since we regard all Christians everywhere is being in "The Church" that is relevant. Besides just preaching our missionaries provide true charitable work, bring in food, medical help etc. Last year the Jr. High group built a school in Chile.

  The WTBS has never done any of these things.
• 

  Helen

  I have been to the real third world countried such as Irian Jaya, Papa New Guine, and indiginous parts of the Amazon/Brazi/Brasil..they had not seen white people let alone Christians..
  back in the early sixties misionaries went into New Guine and Irian Jaya and set up and maintained stations with air strips etc the only missionaries to do this was the Baptist and seven day adventists, in all of this country (and most is remote and will overgrow and return to jungle in ten days)they are the only ones to have done any REAL preaching work, some it cost them their lives...NOT one JW in all of Irian Jaya or New Guine, I asked every where I went and no one had even heard of them let alone met them...In bigger villages such as Mnt Hagen or Port morsbey lots were converted to Baptist beliefs.

  In 99 I went up the amazon to indiginous tribes, all along the way we found seventh day "advantistas" seems this is the biggest religion along the way with missionaries, schools, churches.
• 

  RationalWitness

  aud8,

  You are opening a Pandora's box here, when you assume JWs are preaching "the good news." Consider, how many verses (taken in context) can be construed as suggesting that the Scriptural "good news" is 'Jesus Christ began ruling in heaven in 1914 and will soon destroy the all those who don't believe it, but will usher in paradise for those who do.' I cannot think of a single one; can you? On the other hand ...

  "Therefore do not become ashamed of the witness about our Lord, neither of me a prisoner for his sake, but take your part in suffering evil for the good news according to the power of God. He saved us and called us with a holy calling, not by reason of our works, but by reason of his own purpose and undeserved kiness. This was given us in connection with Christ Jesus before times long lasting, but now it has been made clearly evident through the manifestation of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has absolished death but has shed light upon life and incorruption through the good news, for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher." (2 Tim. 1:8-10)

  "For God, to whom I render sacred service with my spirit in connection with the good news about his Son, is my witness of how without ceasing I always make mention of you in my prayers ... For I am not ashamed of the good news; it is, in fact, God's power for salvation to everyone having faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek; for in it God's righteousness is being revealed by reason of faith and toward faith, just as it is written: 'But the righteous one--by means of faith he will live.'" (Rom. 1:16, 17)

  "Nevertheless, I do not make my soul of any account as dear to me, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received of the Lord Jesus, to bear thorough witness to the good news of the undeserved kindness of God." (Acts 20:24)

  "If, now, the good news we declare is in fact veiled, it is veiled among those who are perishing, among whom the god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, that the illumination of the glorious good news about the Christ, who is the image of God, might not shine through." (2 Cor. 4:3, 4)

  "Only behave in a manner worthy of the good news about the Christ, in order that, whether I come and see you or be absent, I may hear about the things which concern you, that you are standing firm in one spirit, with one shoulder striving side by side for the faith of the good news." (Phil. 1:27)

  Were these (and the numerous other instances of Paul or others referring to "the good news") speaking of a kingdom to be established in 1914 in heaven? Or were they, rather, speaking of something Christians had already experienced through their faith in Christ as Lord (or "King") in view of his resurrection? If it was some future "kingdom", then how could Paul write at Colossians 1:13:

  "He delivered us from the authority of the darkenss and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of his love, by means of whom we have our release by ransom, the forgiveness of our sins. ... provided, of course, that you continue in the faith, established on the foundation and steadfast and not being shifted away from the hope of that good news which you heard, and which was preached in all creation that is under heaven. Of this good news I Paul became a minister."

  If "the good news" preached by JWs about a kingdom supposedly established in heaven in 1914 is not "that good news which [first century Christians] heard", then JWs have a real problem:

  "However, even if we or an angel out of heaven were to declare to you as good news something beyond what we declared to you as good news, let him be accursed. As we have said above, I also now say again, Whoever it is that is declaring to you as good news something beyond what you accepted, let him be accursed." (Gal. 1:8, 9)

  Are JWs preaching the same "good news" that Paul referred to as having already been preached "in all creation" in his time? Have you really investigated to see if anyone is preaching a "good news" about Jesus similar to that preached in the first century?

  Cheers,
  Rational
• 

  AlanF

  To aud8:

  It depends on what you mean by "preaching" and "good news".

  Lots of Christian religions preach. That's why, for example, Evangelicals call themselves "Evangelicals". Ask most evangelicals what their main focus is and they'll tell you: evangelizing. Going from door to door and recording time is only one of many ways to preach. Ever go into a Christian bookstore and take a look at the selection of materials they have available for various styles of preaching? It's huge -- far more than the narrow, sectarian bullcrap the Watchtower Society puts out. How about the Institute for Creation Research? They preach their form of "good news" to millions through their active lecture tours and publishing efforts. There is a small group known as the "Two by twos" (they have other names as well) who preach literally two-by-two according to the way Jesus sent out his disciples. Then there are the radio and TV preachers -- obviously I'm excluding charlatans. Who is to say which of these methods is right or wrong?

  What about the "good news"? JWs certainly don't preach many of the same things that Jesus' disciples did. In fact, they've dumped some things and added others. For example, they preach that Christ came into his kingdom in 1914, and that JW leaders were soon installed as the earthly spiritual rulers of all mankind. That's pretty funny when you think about it -- JW leaders interpret the Bible so as to make themselves spiritual kings over the earth. Talk about presumptuousness!

  Bottom line: JWs preach door to door about a non-existent La-La-Land they claim was created in 1914. Of how much value is that?

  AlanF
• 

  Julie

  Me and countless others are sharing good news every day. The good news is that the bible and it's thundering, vengeful biblegod are nonsense and that life can be lived without superstition and fear of offending biblegod.

  That my friend is very good news.

  Julie
• 

  zev

  and dropping into the local greasy spoon for an hour long breakfast don't count as "time" either!

  -Zev, honourary member, The hurling class
  __
  Zev
  The greatest consistancy of the WTBTS is their INconsistancy.
• 

  Thirdson

  JW's spend a billion hours a year "preaching" yet have nil to negligible coverage in 1/3 of the world (India and China). JW's are concentrated in just a few countries in any numbers and even there they have no impact. I lived in a town where JWs called every month on every home and yet if you talked to anyone living there they would have no clue as to what JW believed or what they believed as being different from orthodox Christianity.

  One hour of preaching might result (at best) in talking to 5 five people, and leaving two magazines that would be promptly trashed.

  That JWs are doing a global preaching work is just a fantasy. At 1 billion hours and about 300,000 baptized each year means it takes
  3333 hours per convert or 28 years of ministry at 10 hours/month average publisher duty. I hardly call that effective. So what does the preaching work do for the WTS? Raise money!!!

  Thirdson

  'To avoid criticism, say nothing, do nothing, be nothing'
• 

  bboyneko

  Redhorsewoman neighed:

  There's also a new cult on the block, the International Church of Christ, which is very aggressive in "preaching the good news" and studying the Bible with potential converts. Of course, they have only been in existence for about 20 years, so they don't have huge numbers of salespeople out there yet.

  Yeah I studied with them briefly in college. They recruit mainly on campuses, and yes they are a very scary cult. They are exactly like the JW's. Thye require members whom they also call brothers and sisters to talk to, if i remember correctly, 50 people a week at least.

  They have home book studies once a week like the JW's, and then other weekly meetings. They have conventions just like the JW's. And practise love bombing and other tactics including the famous 'we are the only true religion' and 'your relatives will oppose you' etc etc.

  THey also discourage assosiation with non brothers and sisters. It was fun studying with them for a while just to see what they are about. I wasnt for a minute pulled in. As soon as they started pressuring me I was like, see yah! One thing they also practise is requring members to drive like 2 hours away to pick up studies to bring them to meetings. Makes it hard to say no when they ar elike hey, we will drive you up there no sweat!

  -Dan

  Oh yeah, the best argument I think, that JW's are not a healthy valid christian religion is the fact they do ZERO charity work. With the ammount of money the society has they could easily set up homesless shelters and the like. But they never do.
• 

  Vienna

  Well, I'm a witness. I'm not a JW (left that three years ago), but I do look for chances to witness to people I met about the TRUE good news of the bible. I also volunteer at a crisis center where we help people to get through knowing God and hopefully seeking a relationship with Him.

  Just in my small part of the world, I know two churches that go out and knock of doors of people regularly. My best friend, who was NEVER a JW, looks for chances to witness, for instance, when she's traveling on a plane, she'll look out of the window and say to the person next to her "Isn't that a beautiful scence? Seeing things that like always makes me appreciate that we have such a loving creator who designed it all." and it leads her into some great conversations with people (I've told her I'm stealing that one from her :)

  So, please don't be closed minded in thinking only JWs do that and/or that scripture is not happening, because that's so far from the truth it's ridiculous. We have missionaires in our church who regularly go to Suriname. Our team is responsible for running two Vacation Bible Schools, leading services and youth meetings, and home Bible studies (HOME BIBLES STUDIES??? Sound familar?????? *wink*).

  That's just in my small part of the world. There are missionaires in Hong Kong, China, Alaska....geez...the list of way too long, the people way too numerous, but you get the point.

  The world is big--the scope of things is sometimes hard to grasp when we know nothing of it. I learned of this stuff AFTER I left the JWs, and felt lied to about how they claimed to be the only ones who witness. WHAT A JOKE. There are people who are dying today in Columbia because they are Christians (persuction is bad there). There are people dying all over the world for their faith, and I'm NOT talking about the JW faith, but the real Jesus of the bible. How did those people find out about Jesus? Because of the "good news" that is being spread. Jesus' words will and are being fulfilled in that scripture.
• 

  nytelecom1

  it thing the end has to do with "the good news of the kingdom"..soo....let us reprhase that and ask...how many are preaching about the this good news of the kingdom....as jesus stated......but then again i am using my overly flawed, overly criticized New World Translation