Posts by bats in the belfry

46

Did Abraham Have Schizophrenia? Hearing A Voice Telling Him To Sacrifice Isaac?

by frankiespeakin in

well if someone came to you saying they were going to sacrifice one of thier children to god because god spoke to them telling them to do so what would you conclude?

would you tell him to be faithfull to the voice and do it so they can become god's friend like abraham was?.

http://www.voiceofdharma.org/books/pp/ch2.htm.

bats in the belfry

There are those of mankind going on a mission after having 'found the LORD'. They specifically receive instructions to slaughter for HIM in a wild killing spree.

7

Jehovah's Witnesses: Is it Christian or Unchristian for men to wear makeup at the Kingdom Hall?

by I_love_Jeff in

jehovah's witnesses on ya: does prince wear make-up?.

if he does, what does jah say about that?

does the bible make it implicit or explicit in regards to men wearing make-up?

bats in the belfry

breakfast of champions >>

Is it Christian for governing body members to wear multiple rings? I swear, every

picture I see, they have either a ring on each hand or two rings on one hand. . .WTF?

Of course. One wedding band for they as members of the 'spiritual bride' are married to their 'heavenly bridegroom'.

The other ring as heathen symbol and token of dedication to their mortal wives.

9

Did Jesus participate in judicial committee hearings?

by I_love_Jeff in

did jesus condone such hearings?.

bats in the belfry

What? Jesus participating in judicial committee hearings? No.

Paul started that years later after his self-proclaimed enlightenment.

118

School for Congregation Elders

by C.O.B.E.Beef in

jw
friends

i attended the school late last year, and it was an emotional and mental rollercoaster for me.

i was already divided in my heart to say the least.

one of the instructors stayed in my home for the week, and my family genuinely enjoyed his company.

bats in the belfry

JW GoneBad >> It's only to make them feel special. Nothing special being said there at all.

7

I need help finding something in the Watchtower PLEASE... I don't have the CD Library

by Greybeard in

i feel curtain that there was a watchtower article/articles that state christ blood only covers those of the anointed class, 144,000. they go on to say the "other sheep" are saved by association with the anointed/fds.

am i wrong here?

i thought for sure i read that a long time ago and it rang my bell then... please help me find this if you can or set me straight on it.. thank you!.

bats in the belfry

Greybeard >> PLEASE... I don't have the CD Library

FYI: WT Library CD 2008 (publications from 1950 ...), ISO file

WT Online Library (publications from 2000 ...)

51

"We don't believe only JWs will survive Armageddon, only Jehovah can read hearts" - Logic Fallacies by JWs (or us)?

by cognisonance in

recently i talked to someone i care about who is in the jw group and stated i feel that believing billions of people are going to die when armegedon comes and only a jws will survive would be unloving of a god.

the response is one that i've also noticed others have experienced.

in short the answer is something like the following: "we don't believe that, only jehovah can read hearts.

bats in the belfry

• Can it be stated flatly that only baptized witnesses of Jehovah will survive Armageddon?—A. S., U.S.A.

It would be misleading to answer this question with either a simple “Yes” or a “No.” The Scriptural answer of necessity must be a “qualified” one, and it is easy to see why.

At 1 Corinthians 7:14 the Bible shows that God can consider as “holy” the minor children of a Christian parent. Though they are young and not yet to the point of being personally responsible to Jehovah, their parent is trying to develop in them a love of God and of the way of righteousness. It seems clear that at the time of the destructive war of Armageddon God will preserve them on the basis of the family merit of the Christian parent, even though the children are not yet dedicated and baptized.

The reply must also be “qualified” because the Bible does not pointedly say how God is going to handle certain unusual cases, such as those involving mentally retarded persons who never had the capacity to learn about Jehovah and his purposes. Regarding these unbaptized persons, it is possible that family merit may apply as in the case of minor, irresponsible children who have a faithful believing parent or guardian.

Nonetheless, these special instances do not diminish in any way the importance of dedication and baptism for those desiring God’s favor and protection through the destructive climax of this wicked system of things. God urges those truly interested in survival to seek righteousness and to call on him in faith. (Zeph. 2:2, 3; Joel 2:32) That obviously means that a person must do all in his power to do God’s will. And what is that will as regards baptism?

Jesus was baptized in water, setting an example for Christians. (Matt. 3:13-17; 1 Pet. 2:21) Among his final instructions to his disciples is the command to “make disciples of people of all the nations, baptizing them.” (Matt. 28:19, 20) And one has but to read the book of Acts to see that early Christians recognized that baptism was a necessary step of obedience for all desiring God’s favor.—Acts 2:37-41; 16:30-33.

Neither the Watch Tower Society nor any human today can lessen the force of that indication of God’s will. There appears to be no Biblical reason for thinking that a person who had a reasonable knowledge of Bible truth and knew the importance of dedicating his life to God and being baptized, but who held back from doing so, would be preserved by God through the coming destruction.

We are aware that many hypothetical or “What if . . . ” cases can be raised, cases that seem to involve extenuating circumstances. What point, though, is there in speculating on these? Jesus’ illustration of the “sheep” and “goats” makes it plain that a time will come when the division between the “sheep” and the “goats” will be clear and final. (Matt. 25:31-46) Instead of looking for “loopholes” in God’s arrangement for salvation, what all humans who desire preservation need to do is take full advantage of God’s merciful opportunity to serve him. And they need to do so now, before it becomes too late to begin thinking about becoming a servant of Jehovah. The “sheep” who are preserved into “everlasting life” will be responsible persons who do God’s will as completely as possible. (1 John 2:17) The Bible shows without doubt that Jehovah’s will for humans today includes being baptized and being public witnesses of him.—Rom. 10:10.

Jesus compared our time, faced as it is with the end of this wicked system of things, to the days of Noah. (Matt. 24:36-39) And drawing on Noah’s experience, the apostle Peter added: “That which corresponds to this is also now saving you, namely, baptism, (not the putting away of the filth of the flesh, but the request made to God for a good conscience).” (1 Pet. 3:20, 21) So all who desire salvation ought to recognize how vital the step of baptism is.

w71 1/15, pages 63-64

It is important to understand what the Bible says about the destruction to come at the end of this system of things. In his illustration of the sheep and the goats Jesus indicated that a separating work would be done “when the Son of man arrives in his glory,” and that persons would be classed as either “sheep” or “goats.” (Matt. 25:31-46) In part, the basis for the separation would be the reaction of people to the preaching of the good news of the established kingdom. That preaching work is now being done by Jehovah’s witnesses. Jesus explained that those on earth who favorably responded to that message and treated kindly its bearers would be classed as “sheep” and would enter into “everlasting life.” The rest of mankind who did not respond favorably to the preaching work and offered no aid to those who carried the Kingdom message would be classed as “goats” and would go, not into a temporary death, but into “everlasting cutting-off” at the time when judgment is executed.

But some persons, appreciating that millions of people are to be resurrected and given an opportunity to serve God, wonder if the millions of individuals living today who apparently have never heard the Kingdom message preached will be everlastingly destroyed without ever having had a witness about God’s purposes. It is true that at present it appears that there are vast numbers of mankind who have not heard the Kingdom preaching. Also, from what the Bible says and from conditions in the world, we know that we are in the “last days.” But we do not know just how much more will be accomplished in preaching the Kingdom message before the end comes. (2 Tim. 3:1-5; Matt. 24:3-13) If at the end of the second world war someone had said that the Kingdom preaching would be carried out, by more than a million publishers, in over 190 lands, including communistic countries, many might have found that hard to believe. Yet, Jehovah has blessed his people, and that is exactly what is being accomplished. So, if it is Jehovah’s will to have this message personally carried to the millions on earth who seemingly have not yet heard it, that will be accomplished. If he chooses, he could see to it that this message is spread in ways that we cannot yet imagine. Jesus did foretell that “this good news of the kingdom will be preached in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations; and then the end will come.” (Matt. 24:14) We can rest assured that God will see that the preaching work is done to his satisfaction. After that “the end” comes.

Then those who correspond with “goats,” whether in China or elsewhere, will be pronounced “cursed” and will not be permitted to survive that “end” into God’s new order of things. Since these go into symbolic “fire” (like the Devil and his angels), their punishment will be everlasting. They will never be resurrected.—Matt. 25:41-46.

“Just a little while longer, and the wicked one will be no more; and you will certainly give attention to his place, and he will not be. But the meek ones themselves will possess the earth, and they will indeed find their exquisite delight in the abundance of peace.”—Ps. 37:10, 11.

w65 9/15, pages 575-576

We cannot be dogmatic about this matter, as God is the judge. However, if Jehovah God expresses an adverse judgment against certain individuals, and does this through his King Christ Jesus at Armageddon, there must be some sort of finality to God’s decision. If so, those destroyed by the judgment of God in the battle of Armageddon are really destroyed. Ezekiel chapter 9 appears to refer to Armageddon, and verse 6 states, “Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark.” Those unmarked by a favorable reception of God’s warning receive no mercy from him. This is no injustice on God’s part. If it were a case of absolute justice he would spare no one, as everyone, young or old, is an imperfect sinner. It is only through the exercise of his love and mercy that anyone is preserved through Armageddon or is resurrected.

Children are affected by the course of their parents, and parents are warned that their iniquity is visited on their offspring unto the third and fourth generation. (Ex. 20:5, 6) Parents are commanded to instruct their children in God’s way, and if in these last days parents refuse to heed the divine instruction and warning they bring destruction upon themselves and their small children at Armageddon. (Deut. 6:6, 7; Eph. 6:4) According to justice God can leave such children dead, for, as Ezekiel showed, all die in their iniquity. (Ezek. 3:17-19; 33:1-6) Parents should remember that their wrong course unfavorably affects their children and may bring their offspring to destruction at Armageddon, just as a right course on the part of parents may put their small children in the way of preservation during Armageddon and opportunity for eternal life in the new world to follow.

w50 11/15, page 463

34

"Millions Now Living Will Never Die"

by drewcoul in

i understand that the judge's book "millions now living will never die" has undergone a slight of hand change of title to "millions now living may never die.".

where could i find the new title in print in any wt publication?

i do not have a wt library anymore, and would like to show my mom how they have changed the name of the book in their references to it..

bats in the belfry

They are cocky, aren't they:

This means what is says: It is a fact - Investigate.

Proof conclusive.

People can be very gullible when it comes to sugar-coated candy promises of eternal life.

107

Billions of dead, possibly killed by divine radiation, all of whom will need to be buried... Gerrit Losch predicts the future!

by cedars in

i've finally turned my attentions away from anthony morris iii (just for the time being!

) and done a video about another governing body member... gerrit losch.. in this video, taken from a 2008 talk (given in sydney, australia), gerrit gives us his grim predictions for the future.... .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4bl_hzhjzm.

10

JWs in France will get off to a good start in 2013

by Calebs Airplane in

the year 1925 got off to a good enough start, with the french watch tower magazine being enlarged from 12 to 16 pages.

-yearbook 1980 page 61.. 88 years later... .

2013 will get off to a good start with french wt rag being reduced from 32 to only 16 pages... .

bats in the belfry

Joker10 >> The public edition of The Watchtower will also be reduced from 32 pages to 16 pages.