Posts by Linda14

69

Where Does Watchtower Doctrine Contradict Scripture?

by Vanderhoven7 in

here are some areas that i have found:.

not only is watchtower eschatology offbase, which is not critical, but so is watchtower soteriology … which is critical.

the bible says not to put trust in men who cannot save.

Linda14

1. Babylon the Great is a CITY, not any empire of false religion.

Rev 17:18

18 And the woman whom you saw means the great city that has a kingdom over the kings of the earth.”

2. There is no ongoing issue/contest of who rules better between Satan and Jehovah.

The destruction on Noah's day would render any such claim nonsensical. Secondly, the fact that judgment was held after the sin, with the serpent being destined for future destruction (Gen 3:15), is an indication that there was no contest. You don't issue judgment before someone begins to prove his point, do you?

3. Salvation is by faith in Jesus. Either a witness or in another church, with faith in Jesus and righteous act, Jehovah can save you.

4. Miracle didn't cease after the death of the apostles. There is no basis for that lie.

40

Why believe in a god?

by menrov in

if you consider that the god they believe in:.

- cannot be seen or heard and is only known in books written by writers we do not know nor do we have the original writings- does not listen to prayers from believers for security, safety, health, survival, protection, rescue, food etc- promises things that have not come true though had plenty of time to act on the promises- does not provide what you need to live- let's you suffer, struggle, work etc equal to non-believers, treated equally.

........ how does a believer look at his/her parents if they hide themselves, do not provide for you (shelter, food etc), make promises but never live up to these, does not provide what you need to live, treats you like anyone else but not as their child?

Linda14

Our study has three main findings. First, Mozambican subjects did exhibit improved auditory and/or visual acuity subsequent to PIP interventions. Second, the magnitude of measured effects exceeds that reported in previous studies of suggestion and hypnosis. Although it would be unwise to overgeneralize from these preliminary findings for a small number of PIP practitioners and subjects collected in far-from-ideal field conditions, future study seems warranted to assess whether PIP may be a useful adjunct to standard medical care for certain patients with auditory and/or visual impairments, especially in contexts where access to conventional treatment is limited. The implications are potentially vast given World Health Organization estimates that 278 million people, 80% of whom live in developing countries, have moderate to profound hearing loss in both ears, and 314 million people are visually impaired, 87% of whom live in developing countries, and only a tiny fraction of these populations currently receive any treatment.

Copied from the research document.

True there are some limitations to the study which is understandable and is normal in many peer reviewed studies. What is important is that there was a significant improvement. I never believed there was even any miracle anywhere before. But this is one of the studies that changed my mind over charismatic miracles. This is more interesting when you go through the individual cases.

Another one is that of a miracle by a baptist pastor who cured her wife of blindness. This reports are not the normal church claimed miracles that don't get investigated. It changed my mind because it was rigorously investigated and confirmed. I don't have to be there to believe that a peer reviewed article is not a joke. At least something significant happened which ever way you look at it.

There are more if you watch the Sendproof video. The GMRI website has few more miracles documented.

That wouldn't convince some people I know. Just saying that it convinced me that the supernatural exists.

Which ever view we hold I respect any for their own views.

16

Shunning and persecution

by Vanderhoven7 in

jws see shunning as a loving provision.

but if a mennonite gal is shunned by her parents and friends for converting to jwism, would this be seen as a loving provision or as evidence of persecution?

how about parents beating a daughter who converted to jehovah's witnesses?.

Linda14

Shunning is being mean not loving. From my scriptural understanding any appointed by God has the right to issue a discipline to his community the way he seems fit.

The JWs has taken an extreme position on that regard. They apparently did this deliberately to prevent their flock from being awaken by sincere fellow witnesses whose bible studies have shown the flaw of the GB teachings. They create people who end up worshiping the Organization than worship God.

They even end up condemning themselves. If Bro A left insist on a bible doctrine different from what GB teach, he is thrown out as an apostate. Later the same organization will make change and start to teach what Bro A had insisted upon. What's the implication? That JWs have persecuted Bro A for his stand for the truth.

Secondly shunning is not biblical. They keep leaning on 1cor 5:11. I believe they know that there position with regards to that scripture is wrong. They are good at claiming they don't know what they actually do know.

40

Why believe in a god?

by menrov in

if you consider that the god they believe in:.

- cannot be seen or heard and is only known in books written by writers we do not know nor do we have the original writings- does not listen to prayers from believers for security, safety, health, survival, protection, rescue, food etc- promises things that have not come true though had plenty of time to act on the promises- does not provide what you need to live- let's you suffer, struggle, work etc equal to non-believers, treated equally.

........ how does a believer look at his/her parents if they hide themselves, do not provide for you (shelter, food etc), make promises but never live up to these, does not provide what you need to live, treats you like anyone else but not as their child?

Linda14

Well God does answer prayers. But another question will be how do I prove it to you. That will be hard.

However for one who wants a proof of miracle, the Miracle of the Irish Global Ministry, Global Awakening and even one Baptist pastor has been confirmed by medical evidence that to the extent that even the miracle of the Baptist pastor appeared in a medical journal as a reality. The evidence for these miracles are peer-reviewed. There is also a SendProof video on the subject.

There is this Global Medical Research Institute that investigates these miraculous claims.

My point is, there is a God out there even though He is not seen.

13

For JW lurkers - After Hamburg.................

by BoogerMan in

.......do you still believe the organization's false teaching that romans 6:7 refer to a person's literal death?.

watchtower may 15th 1982, pp.

8,9 - "the bible explains that at death a person is set free or released from any sins he committed.".

Linda14

That's how they publish a fake number of Jehovah's witnesses online when the reality is that that number consists of both baptized and unbaptized publishers. I doubt if they know how many baptized witnesses there is in the world. Even if they know, the 8million + in the peak publishers are not the actual number of Jehovah's witnesses.

13

For JW lurkers - After Hamburg.................

by BoogerMan in

.......do you still believe the organization's false teaching that romans 6:7 refer to a person's literal death?.

watchtower may 15th 1982, pp.

8,9 - "the bible explains that at death a person is set free or released from any sins he committed.".

Linda14

The whole perfection after the 1000 years is laughable. Let's see:

Rev 20:

And I saw thrones, and those who sat on them were given authority to judge. Yes, I saw the souls of those executed for the witness they gave about Jesus and for speaking about God, and those who had not worshipped the wild beast or its image and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand. And they came to life and ruled as kings with the Christ for 1,000 years. (The rest of the dead did not come to life until the 1,000 years were ended.) This is the first resurrection."

Take note of the phrase, the REST of the dead did NOT come to LIFE until...

If the group in verse 4 came to life literally through resurrection, it will logically mean that the REST OF THE DEAD not coming to life mean that they weren't LITERALLY resurrected. But the GB assigned one meaning to the first group while assigning a symbolic meaning to the latter group. These guys are smart. They will wish you don't notice

13

Giving hope for all truth-loving people

by Person in

it it not easy for me but i would like to share with you my story and my take on what happend and is happening in jw.

for some my view can be unacceptable for others can be useful.

in fact it can be answer to the question: why am i still even bother what's is going on in this obviously corrupt organization?

Linda14

@Person

Corruption is bad in the eyes of Jehovah. But corruption in God's organization doesn't mean that God has abandoned His organization. Like you said, Jehovah will intervene in the future.

However, do you think that JWs are that God's only organization? And God appointed their "faithful Slave"?

What the GB did was to hijack a statement in the bible and applied it to themselves. They said Jesus and jehivah made inspection in 1914, then in 1919 they appointed the Slave. Isn't that hilarious? Who told you that God made such an inspection and on that date, and that the result of the inspection is chosen they alone as the Slave? Does that even make any sense? Who in history, among the scholars have confirmed that? Did God supernaturally show that His seal was on them? How could someone just hijack a scripture and say 'hey, we were appointed'? There is nothing different from them and other churches who claim to have been called by God. They are one and the same. God didn't say anything, and they can't produce any supernatural evidence for that. That's Hoax.

There is simply no basis for that organization. Serve you God in spirit and in truth. Don't ignore others in other churches who do the same. Don't look at the JWs as the only true religion. That is a hoax.

If your problem is a religion that has root to the first Cong established by the apostles, go to catholic or Eastern Orthodox churches. Or stay in your house and worship in spirit and truth. That doesn't mean that attending Cong meeting is a sin, neither is attending another church service .

23

Is there really any universal issue of Sovereignty?

by Linda14 in

i can agree that satan doesn't see god as a good ruler as stated at gen 3:1-5. he doesn't seem to see gods laws as right or good.

but whether there is an understanding/agreement between god and satan afterward to the effect that he can take the mantle of rulership to show whether his style is best is doubtful.

that conclusion is probably reached because god hasn't destroyed satan, and he is also called the ruler of the world in the bible.

Linda14

I can agree that Satan doesn't see God as a good ruler as stated at Gen 3:1-5. He doesn't seem to see Gods laws as right or good. But whether there is an understanding/agreement between God and Satan afterward to the effect that he can take the mantle of rulership to show whether his style is best is doubtful.

That conclusion is probably reached because God hasn't destroyed Satan, and he is also called the ruler of the world in the bible. So the thought goes that he is left to live because there is an ongoing issue.

I will rather think that Satan is still living because God doesn't always execute judgment immediately.

Satan ruling the world is not that he has absolute control of what goes on in the world. He rules the world of unfaithful mankind simply because those persons have chosen to disobey God's directions and laws. Any who obstinately disobey God is not reckoned as under God's rulership, as such to the opposing side, Satan. Before their destruction, Satan has authority over these persons since they wish to do things contrary to God's will. Since God's judgment doesn't come immediately, Satan just have a field day.

However, God is still in charge, and can hold them responsible for what they do any day, any time He decides. There is no prove-me-wrong senario here.

If there is any prove-me-wrong senario, I don't think God would immediately pass a death sentence on Satan in Eden. Gen 3:15. What will be the need for the contest when your fellow contestant is already been judged to be a loser and will be killed? If there is any contest, God won't destroy people with deluge and Sodom with fire and then the contest is still ongoing.

I mean why kill persons who are obviously enjoying Satan's rulership? Did the majority say that they were tired of the world they lived in or they were tired of the way they lived their lives? God didn't destroy them because they were tired of their lifestyle, but because their sin was too much for God to bear. It is true that there were outcry against Sodom, but probably Lot and few others had that perception, but not the majority in Sodom. So it appears that what is termed good rulership is what God sees as good, not necessarily what Satan or his followers see as good. If that is the case, there is no contest here.

If you think about it, majority still see God's standard as too restrictive and bad for them. They rather prefer independence as the best option. Will that make Satan a winner of the contest? If not, what will? I don't think that majority will one day want God's rulership. But God will still destroy them if they don't choose to obey HIM. So God is and will always be the ruler. That He allows bad people to stay temporarily doesn't mean that He wants to prove anything, but He is loving, patient, doesn't quickly execute judgment because we're free moral agents.

We are created to make our own decisions, God won't always let those who disobey Him to live. He will destroy them, but He doesn't do so immediately. That time lag makes the wicked and Satan to cause problem for the just.

We don't want to forget the fact that God was the ruler of the kingdom of Israel. This is obviously because Abraham accepted to follow His laws. There came his descendants. For God to rule Israel is a bridge of contract if the issue of Eden is true. God even intervened and appointed some kings in another lands like Syria. At Dan 5;21 he stated that He has authority to appoint and remove kings and that He is the king in the kingdom of mankind. That would have been a brigde of contract. He calls all kings as being his ministers as well.

However, since these kings might chose to disobey God and even worship demons, God normally let them be and Satan will control them. That doesn't mean that if God wants to intervene in those rulership He wouldn't. He is always in charge.

14

spiritually sick

by enoughisenough in

i thought of this today.

when i first told a certain person i didn't believe the gb were the faithful slave, that person told me i was spiritually sick....even bought me flowers.

i threw the vase away because i couldn't look at it without thinking how i was judged spiritually sick.

Linda14

2 Tim 3:6 do probably refer to spiritual weakness.

I don't see your statement to warrant the conclusion that you're spiritually sick. No. But that witness is following the view of the GB, which is that any who starts to criticize the GB is spiritually weak. Quite frankly, any GB follower, who is deep in their teachings would likely feel that you're sick if you say that of their 'God appointed Faithful Slave'.

Remember that those guys haven't woken up, so they don't understand nor are ready to understand your view.

19

Are Jehovah's Witnesses who are disfellowshipped allowed to communicate and comfort each other while waiting to be reinstated?

by Vanderhoven7 in

i just read about a disfellowshipped person who was looking for other disfellowshipped persons to socialize with.

what does the org have to say about this?.

Linda14

The disfellowshiping policy is cruel and mean. Let Jehovah judge them for their chasing away His worshipers. Well, worship of God has no link with the watchtower. You worship God in spirit and truth.