Posts by OHappyDay

25

"Because They're A Cult"........

by minimus in

jw
friends

yesterday, a business associate asked me why jws would not celebrate a birthday, a bar mitzvah, or any other holiday.

he asked why they literally believed only 144,000 go to heaven.

he asked how they could celebrate everything 1 year and the next year, tell their families that everything is pagan........my answer to all of his questions, were "it's because they're a cult.

OHappyDay

My present thinking agrees with itsallgoodnow's, that "Jehovah's Witnesses are typical of disappointed millenarians still expecting the end of the world, desperately clinging to their beliefs despite a long history of failed prophecies." So much can be traced back to that.

But there is also the leaders' hubris of refusing to change, refusing to admit mistakes, and refusing go a more Christian route. It's like their heads are brick walls that cannot be breached with any sense or sympathy for the rank and file.

All the time pointing to Jesus' words, while refusing to heed them.

21

The Watchtower - A Waste of Paper and Time? ( May 1, 2004)

by metatron in

often, when you pick up a copy of the watchtower, you'll notice some articles that.

give good counsel.

they may advise elders to lovingly care for the flock, teenagers to.

OHappyDay

Unfortunately Metatron, you are correct in your analysis. I say "unfortunately" because this could be a good religion if those in control would only cut the crap.

Unfortunately, good works = field service and only field service. No other "good works" have any merit in this organization. As you said, 'charity doesn't count.' No place on the report for it.

The emphasis is all on bringing new people in. And the ones already in are neglected to fend for themselves unless they are bringing still newer people in. All this "sense of urgency" is for what? We can't force God's hand to bring the End, but we keep trying, driving the slaves to do more!

The newest WT, May 15, 2004, has two study articles on helping the elderly, calling them "valuable members of our Christian brotherhood." Maybe they mean those elderly gents up there in Brooklyn. Spend too much time caring for the local elderly ones, and you miss out on field service, which is a no-no. So how much real concern do these articles demonstrate? It's all just words.

When will we learn that we can't do anything more to secure our salvation than Jesus has done already? It should be about love, not about "counting time."

But no one up in Brooklyn really cares. So sad.

23

What JW doctrines (topics) are NOT in the New World Translation ???

by run dont walk in

what doctrines and beliefs do jw's stick to, that are not mentioned anywhere in the new world translation ????.

i thought of a few ........ 1) christ returned invisibly in 1914 .

2) heavens doors were closed in 1935.

OHappyDay

All Christians must be preachers. Compare Ephesians 4:11: "Some...."

14

More Ex-Witnesses than Witnesses?

by OHappyDay in

jehovah's witnesses use the number of the mighty 6 million (tm) to "prove" that god is blessing them over and above all other religions.

but with so many being disfellowshipped and leaving over the past decades, how many ex-witnesses are there?

with thousands growing wiser and more dissatisfied with wt doctrine, might the number of ex-witnesses over the years now equal the number of witnesses?

OHappyDay

Another thing mentioned prominently is all the hours spent in "disciple-making." But then those disciples learn that they are not being drawn to Jesus, but to an "Organization" that doesn't treat the flock with tenderness like Jesus did. All those proud hours are for nothing.

I use to think that many left or were put out due to moral turpitude -- smoking, fornicating, gambling, etc. But I am learning that there's much more to it than that. And that the moral turpitude is on the Society's part -- false teachings, wild speculations, harsh treatment of people, which makes people leave.

Somehow, the whole WT enterprise appears futile. For every one that comes in through the front door, more leave out the back door.

20

Were You Able To "Express Freeness of Speech" While You Were A JW?

by minimus in

jw
friends

i've come to appreciate that "freeness of speech" is something one could have only if they were studying with witnesses.

once you became a witness, it was all over!

no more questions, discussions or contrary opinions.

OHappyDay

Sure, there is freeness of speech --

As long as you don't mind being called bad associations, spiritually weak, disgruntled, or a murmurer.

Or most foul of all, an independent thinker.

14

More Ex-Witnesses than Witnesses?

by OHappyDay in

jehovah's witnesses use the number of the mighty 6 million (tm) to "prove" that god is blessing them over and above all other religions.

but with so many being disfellowshipped and leaving over the past decades, how many ex-witnesses are there?

with thousands growing wiser and more dissatisfied with wt doctrine, might the number of ex-witnesses over the years now equal the number of witnesses?

OHappyDay

I doubt anyone can pin down exact statistics. But I keep hearing about the thousands that get disfellowshipped each year. And I see from forums like this that many just walk away.

Somewhere down the line those thousands must add up to quite a few.

23

What JW doctrines (topics) are NOT in the New World Translation ???

by run dont walk in

what doctrines and beliefs do jw's stick to, that are not mentioned anywhere in the new world translation ????.

i thought of a few ........ 1) christ returned invisibly in 1914 .

2) heavens doors were closed in 1935.

OHappyDay

Not even the NWT says that only 144,000 go to heaven.

The NWT does not identify the other sheep as a class of people who will live on earth.

14

More Ex-Witnesses than Witnesses?

by OHappyDay in

jehovah's witnesses use the number of the mighty 6 million (tm) to "prove" that god is blessing them over and above all other religions.

but with so many being disfellowshipped and leaving over the past decades, how many ex-witnesses are there?

with thousands growing wiser and more dissatisfied with wt doctrine, might the number of ex-witnesses over the years now equal the number of witnesses?

OHappyDay

Jehovah's Witnesses use the number of the mighty 6 million (TM) to "prove" that God is blessing them over and above all other religions.

But with so many being disfellowshipped and leaving over the past decades, how many ex-Witnesses are there?

With thousands growing wiser and more dissatisfied with WT doctrine, might the number of ex-Witnesses over the years now equal the number of Witnesses?

And what do these millions of ex-Witnesses "prove" about whom God is "blessing"?

7

Studies in the Scriptures - Part 3

by Justin in

why did russell see the necessity for dividing up christians into "classes"?

the distinction between the heavenly and earthly classes is essential to dispensationalism, but beyond that, russell had three classes co-existing during the gospel age: justified believers, the great company, and the little flock.

it must be remembered that russell could not point to a previously existing church organization as possessing the "truth.

OHappyDay

Thanks, Justin. What I see then is that Russell didn't know what he was talking about.

And that Jehovah's Witnesses, who inherited his theology and patched it up here and there, don't know what they are talking about, either.

I see no 'divine guidance' in the Russell-Witness system. Just loads and loads of human speculation, and a superabundance of hubris that they have some direct pathway to God.

No wonder it keeps falling down all around them.

12

Learn From God's Son

by The_world_is_passing_away in

why was jesus even sent to the earth?-it was because he was a perfect man.

he died to attone for our sins so that we may have have a better chance to be in jehovah god book of life.

so we may live in paradise.

OHappyDay

The Bible does not say that only 144,000 go to heaven. It mentions 144,000 "out of every tribe of the sons of Israel." It mentions 144,000 "standing upon the Mount Zion" with the Lamb. It says they are "bought from among mankind as firstfruits to God and to the Lamb."

But nowhere does the Bible say that only 144,000 go to heaven, and who the 144,000 are is a matter of varied interpretation.

In the context of Jesus' mention of the "other sheep," the logical conclusion is that he was talking about the gentiles. The book of Acts concurs with this.