YOUNG PEOPLE ASK - HOW SHOULD I DEAL WITH MY DOUBTS 01/04/2002

diamondblue1974

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK - HOW SHOULD I DEAL WITH MY DOUBTS?
Awake: April 2002

We live in a world of many philosophies and many world views and young Christians might be tempted to have doubts about the loving guidance set out by the faithful and discreet slave. So what must be done about such doubts when they arise? Should we allow those doubts to fester and allow Satan the opportunity to steal our faith? When such doubts arise how might we spiritually progress and attain our goal of everlasting life?

Boris (16) admitted to having doubts because of various things he had seen in a Newspaper regarding Gods organisation and it alleged associations with worldly organisations, he immediately went to the elders with his concerns; Boris remarked ‘I was immediately put straight about the lies I had read in the newspaper and realised that Satan will use all media forms to subvert our faith; it was wonderful to be counselled by the elder concerned about reading apostate literature and I took his advice and studied more about Jehovah and the wonderful promises he holds out for us.’ (Revelation 21:4) I was also counselled not to speak about my doubts with anyone other than the elders because it might subvert others faiths and lead to their ultimate destruction at Armageddon.’

As we can see Boris sought refuge from his doubts from the local elders within the congregation and this allowed him to defeat Satan’s attack. How loving Jehovah’s organisation is in providing such support to his followers.

Richie (18) had a fleshly brother who had been disfellowshipped and admitted to wanting to have associations with him despite the scriptural counsel he had been given; Richie found solace in his parents continued counsel and also read more about Jehovah’s organisations loving arrangement of disfellowshipping. ‘I was immediately given direction from my parents about the dangers of speaking with disfellowshipped ones and counselled about the dangers of becoming disfellowshipped myself if I continued to have associations with him’ (1 Corinthians 33:15) After some prayer and guidance from his parents Richie benefited and the devils attempt at subverting a young brothers faith was thwarted yet again.

Andrew (18) had been researching the internet for a school project and came across some other users who purported to be brothers and sisters; after speaking with them at length he confessed he had seen some information which cast some doubt as to whether he was involved in true worship. He reported this to the elders and they were quick to offer reassurance and spiritual direction, ‘I wasn’t aware that the internet could be so dangerous’ says Andrew ‘when you read the information it seems so real and understandable, but the dangers of being faced with Satan’s apostate literature is too much to risk spiritually and I will seriously think about whether I should use the internet in future for research’.

Barry (19) had also found information on a leaflet left on his car during a meeting and had read it; the information directed him to a website where more lies and treachery about Jehovah’s organisation could be found; sadly Barry instead of following scriptural counsel allowed his curiosity to get the better of him and fed his fears and doubts about Jehovah and his organisation. The trouble didn’t stop there unfortunately and instead of adjusting his doubts he became independent went on to speak to others in the congregation also; ‘we were shocked to hear what Barry had to say’ says Megan ‘it wasn’t like Barry at all and we naturally were quick to come to the elders with our concerns in the hope to save him’. Sadly Barry was disfellowshipped for apostasy and could lose his life at Armageddon if he doesn’t repent of his sins.

Of course we might have doubts from time to time but we should avoid speaking of our doubts with others as we do not want them to suffer just because our faith might be lacking. In the case of Barry it could lead to disfellowshipping if we allowed our thoughts to wander and developed an independent spirit.

Instead we should trust in and follow the guidance of our parents and the elders in the congregation; pray in a heartfelt manner to Jehovah for the wisdom to deal with such doubts and seek his words through articles in the Watchtower and other publications, surely as Jehovah is like the editor of such publications what finer authority do we have for the resolution of our doubts in this time of the end?

rebel8

Very interesting article. I wonder which things about The Guardian article the elders told Boris were lies????? Many people have called headquarters here and they say they did belong to the UN but it wasn't a big deal. So which is it--a lie or true but not a big deal?

Ellie

Very funny Diamondblue, but where on earth did you get the names from? Borris and Barry?! Oh dear!

What is sad though is that if you showed this to any young witness they would probably believe it to be true.

kittyeatzjdubs

i remember that article...and i actually believed it. my mom swore it was manna from heaven to save her lost daughter.

didn't work

luv, jojo

heretic

I thought you were making that article up (or adding to it a bit) I didnt think theyd be that blatant, so thats actually what they said about the 'newspaper article' from satan to mislead, what a mind control cult. Im so glad im out and thinking for myself.

Ive read what the UN printed and the JWs letters to reply and jws holds no water its just them believing they cant be wrong, oh man thats heavy.

i gotta get my fam out.

Ellie

I think Diamondblue has a confession to make

kwintestal

he immediately went to the elders with his concerns; Boris remarked ‘I was immediately put straight about the lies I had read in the newspaper and realised that Satan will use all media forms to subvert our faith; it was wonderful to be counselled by the elder concerned about reading apostate literature and I took his advice and studied more about Jehovah and the wonderful promises he holds out for us.’ (Revelation 21:4) I was also counselled not to speak about my doubts with anyone other than the elders because it might subvert others faiths and lead to their ultimate destruction at Armageddon.

How did the elders know that it was "lies"? Did they research it themselves, or did they just know that it was so unbelievable that it MUST be lies. The elders are as much in the dark about these things as the regular publisher most times, unless someone has already brought it up.

Then of course, keep your doubts to yourself, you young people who have asked, because you don't want to KILL ANYONE!

Kwin

bavman

That's funny, when I went to the elders about the U.N. they laughed and promised to get back to me on it. They never did get back to me...

VM44

...pray in a heartfelt manner to Jehovah for the wisdom to deal with such doubts and seek his words through articles in the Watchtower and other publications, surely as Jehovah is like the editor of such publications what finer authority do we have for the resolution of our doubts in this time of the end?

This is exactly the same thing Fred Franz said back in 1942.

Q. "At any rate, Jehovah God is now the editor of the paper, is that right?"
A. "He is today the editor of the paper."
Q. "How long has he been editor of the paper."
A. "Since its inception he has been guiding it."
(Testimony of Watchtower vice-president Fred Franz, Olin Moyle vs. WTBTS, 1943, Section 2596-2597)

Notice also that the Awake! writer does not consider the case of what if what is said on the internet and in newspapers about the JWs is truthful!

--VM44

diamondblue1974

I do have a confession....thanks Ellie....you tell tale tackler.

The article is a complete work of fiction...but the irony is that none of this would be beyond what the society would actually write...accept maybe at the end where I embellished BigJ being the editor of the watchtower bit....if you read any article written by them it will be full of the same old circular reasonings; emotional blackmail; cloaked in soothing words.

I share Kwins thoughts on being glad we are out of the WTBTS.

DB74

YOUNG PEOPLE ASK - HOW SHOULD I DEAL WITH MY DOUBTS 01/04/2002

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