Posts by The Searcher

27

"Don't listen to apostates!!"

by Schnufti in

next time a jw says that to me, i will ask him to read the following from "what does the bible really teach":.

watchtower itself uses this illustration.

so why is it that they throw apostates out of the congregation?.

The Searcher

If you asked a J.W. if God or Jesus would give them a bad example to follow, they'd immediately say "No!"

Ask them to consider Job 1:7-12, Job 2:2-6, and Matthew 4:3-10 where God and Jesus both had discussions with the arch apostate, Satan.

When they try to reason on this "apparent" anomaly, remind them that Jesus was always willing to talk about the scriptures - especially with the apostate Pharisees, (offspring of vipers & of Satan himself) in order to either teach them or to highlight their poisonous teachings and practices. (John 3:1-21; Matthew 3:1-12; Matthew 8:13-59) At Mark 5:7-13, Jesus even spoke to apostate demons!

He never shunned anyone during his ministry.

63

Life is changing for me: no pioneering, got a job!

by Skepsis in

jw
friends

a month ago i decided to register in this board.

i had decided to step down pioneering but was frightened about the consequences.

i had finished my university degree some months before (despite disaproval from brothers in my congregation) and i had to choose: continue pioneering and working in jobs with no future or starting a career, working full-time.. i was thinking to postpone the decisiton but... i was fed up with preaching.

The Searcher

Absolutely brilliant Skepsis.

You have a P.M.

45

Are there any doctrines which all Christian religions follow.

by jwfacts in

i cannot think of a single doctrine that is so clearly laid out in the bible that every christian sect teaches the same point.

are there any doctrine where there is total consensus amongst all christian religions, including jehovah's witnesses?.

The Searcher

BTLC - I don't think you can say "all" Christian religions. Christadelphians don't accept the trinity dogma and they are accepted as "Christians" by other denominations. There are others, such as Oneness Pentecostals.

22

For those that read the bible, does the true message of scripture still come through in NWT?

by NikL in

jw
friends

my active and in jw wife is up for reading bible together.

thing is she wants to use nwt.. i have problems with that translation as you my imagine.. just wondering if you thought the true message of the bible will shine through the deliberate tampering of the nwt?.

i know many people here don't like or want to read the bible and think it's rubbish anyway, so if that's you, you can save your comments :-).

The Searcher

As Vanderhoven 7 said - use whichever translation she's comfortable with, because no Bible translation is perfect. Good tip to try - use an online Hebrew/Greek concordance (such as Blue Letter Bible) in order to "enhance" your study.

Your wife's eyes may be opened to how seriously corrupted the NWT is as it tries to push the org's doctrines.

11

Cutbacks

by pepperheart in

what other cut backs do you think will be coming or might be coming these next few years for the borg ?.

The Searcher

Since financial reports are not announced for Regional Conventions, the org could create a win-win situation by making them 2-day rallies rather than 3 days.

The org would make considerable savings (on a worldwide scale!) and not only would millions of J.W.'s save a significant amount of cash on fuel/travelling/accommodation costs, most would heave a great sigh of relief at not having to travel on a Friday with all its stresses, and forfeit a day's income into the bargain. (increased donations?)

Everyone (in the org) would come out a winner!

The sheeple would definitely be joyful at such a change and agree wholeheartedly that it "makes sense."

45

Are there any doctrines which all Christian religions follow.

by jwfacts in

i cannot think of a single doctrine that is so clearly laid out in the bible that every christian sect teaches the same point.

are there any doctrine where there is total consensus amongst all christian religions, including jehovah's witnesses?.

The Searcher

I can't think of any Christian denominations who disagree that there is going to be a resurrection of the dead.

Of course there are serious contentions as to where people will be resurrected, and also when.

Many are taught that immediately they die, (including the J.W.'s 144,000) they will come to life in heaven. These teachings create problems when set against what the following scriptures:

(Psalm 37:9,11,29) ".......will possess the earth.....11..the meek will possess the earth.....29.....The righteous will possess the earth, And they will live forever on it.

(Revelation 21:3, 4) "Look! The tent of God is with mankind, and he will reside with them, and they will be his people. (people - not resurrected spirit creatures) And God himself will be with them. And he will wipe out every tear from their eyes, and death will be no more, neither will mourning nor outcry nor pain be anymore. The former things have passed away." (these "former things" never existed in heaven)

(John 6:39,40,44,54) "........that I should resurrect them on the last day.......40......and I will resurrect him on the last day."..44...and I will resurrect him on the last day.....54 ....and I will resurrect him on the last day."

(John 11:24) "Martha said to him: "I know he will rise in the resurrection on the last day."

30

How to reply when someone asks about your spiritual health

by RodrigoGuerreiro in

first of all, sorry if i cannot correctly express the original expression used in my native language to ask for the "spiritual condition".. a few years ago some member of the family asks my wife directly how is her "spiritual health" (for me it's one of the many strange vocabulary used by jw like "the slave says...").

she was catched by surprise with the direct question and says that everything is ok... and luckily someone call them for lunch.. my question is: do you have any good answers for that question?

you can be ironic/use some humor because the question is a little bit anecdotical .

The Searcher

"I'm sure that only Christ can judge my "spiritual health" accurately, so I'll leave it up to him. What I or others think is of no consequence!"

(John 5:22; Acts 10:42; Acts 17:31; Romans 2:16; Romans 14:9; 2 Corinthians 5:10; 2 Timothy 4:1; 1 Peter 4:5; Revelation 20:12)

6

An Obvious Omission in the J.W.'s Good News!

by The Searcher in

as baptized or unbaptised witnesses, no one ever discussed or even mentioned (at least in my jw experience) this topic: .

"we are preaching about the good news of the kingdom.

why do we preach about only one hope - living on earth?

The Searcher

As baptized or unbaptised Witnesses, no one ever discussed or even mentioned (at least in my JW experience) this topic:

"We are preaching about the good news of the kingdom. Why do we preach about only one hope - living on earth? Shouldn't we be telling people the whole of the good news - that they could (allegedly) be selected to become king/priests in heaven?

Heavenly-hopers in the org are now increasing faster than the earthly-hopers.

7

Hypothetical Memo to the G.B. From the Writing Committee

by The Searcher in

jw
friends

dear glorious ones, we feel certain that our statement in the february 2017 watchtower - "the governing body is neither inspired nor infallible.

therefore, it can err in doctrinal matters or in organizational direction" - will assuredly save each one of you from taking a bullet this year when the australian royal commission and the u.k. charities commission's findings are made public and inflict punitive measures on the organization for its historical failure to weed out pedophile and to protect children.

if the minions are challenged, they now have a ready-made conversation stopper and can show it to dissenters on their electronic devices.

The Searcher

Dear Glorious Ones, we feel certain that our statement in the February 2017 Watchtower - "The Governing Body is neither inspired nor infallible. Therefore, it can err in doctrinal matters or in organizational direction" - will assuredly save each one of you from taking a bullet this year when the Australian Royal Commission and the U.K. Charities Commission's findings are made public and inflict punitive measures on the organization for its historical failure to weed out pedophile and to protect children. If the minions are challenged, they now have a ready-made conversation stopper and can show it to dissenters on their electronic devices.

Be assured of our warm Christian groveling and sycophancy,

The Writing Committee.

3

YB17 Promotes Child Baptism

by konceptual99 in

aside from the statistics inthe new yb there are also a couple of cases of it promoting child baptism.. in the section about the young remembering their grand creator in georiga you will find this.... https://www.jw.org/en/publications/books/2017-yearbook/georgia/youth-remember-grand-creator/.

in support of parental training, elders try to involve young ones in congregation activities as early as possible.

nestori, who was baptized when he was 11 years old, states: “the elders gave me various small assignments from a very early age.

The Searcher

I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of J.W.'s will silently but strenuously disagree with any children of those ages being baptized.

Even for loyal J.W.'s, this is crossing the line and is akin to other Christendom denominations baptizing their infants who are not yet able to reason for themselves. Coal calling the kettle black.