Arauna

1 hour ago, Anna said:

have just as much potential to become a Witness as someone in another country

While I myself wish that all of them would accept the truth because they are a humble people, I doubt it.  I have worked a lot with these ancient cultures.  Tradition is so important in their lives and women especially in rural areas are often murdered for disobedience to husbands or fathers.  The idea that a woman carries the family honor is very prevalent.  I do not like those ugly gods.... and the worship of animals etc.... 

Islam despises idols but their other practices are just as horrible - it is very hard for people to break free.  A minimum study of 6 years. 

I leave these problems in Jehovah's hands.  He will judge perfectly.

5 hours ago, Witness said:

Judgement is NOT  condemnation

I should have clarified this better. Apologies.

Of course the flood, Sodom and Gomorra were  periods in which judgment with the penalty of death was rendered.

But judgement is not always adverse or a condemnation as many people believe. 

“The one who has died has been acquitted from his sin.” (Romans 6:7

The 1000 year reign is a judgment Day but for many the judgment will be favorable not adverse. New scrolls will be opened and people will be judged by their actions and obedience to these scrolls in this time - especially those who receive a resurrection and they had never even known Jehovah before.  

1 hour ago, Srecko Sostar said:

People prefer government that not gives promises only

The government of Jehovah is sure to come - it is not just a promise.  It will come when Jehovah says the time is right.

1 hour ago, Srecko Sostar said:

Faith without works is dead

That is why the GB urge us to preach and fulfill the commission given by Jehovah.  Do you preach as the new testament continually urges us to do? 

16 hours ago, Arauna said:

genetically engineered moquitos

To cause sterility. Forgot to say.

44 minutes ago, Anna said:

India

Appologies- could not highlight entire quote.   

I have watched my brothers and sisters for the last few years standing in very public places with carts.  I have thought about this and seen how everyone walks by..... but one will see the odd person take literature. Usually there are several languages on a cart. 

Word has got out because we have an Indian family in our group as well as a young doctor.  The Indian family attend our meeting from India. Many of the Indian students come to cheaper countries like Georgia to study for doctor - we had visitors on many weekends prior to the lockdown. Sometimes up to 5 visitors. We also know of 2 Philippine congregations in Saudi arabia.  Congregations formed by migrant workers.

I think we should not underestimate the spread of our work - especially when it is so public! One cannot miss it.  Even le there is just one family in an area of a few miles..... they can stand with a public cart.

I really believe jehovah exists and therefore truly believe that the angels are working alongside us to get those informed who need to be informed.  The marking work is going on as we speak!   Our persecution in many countries is also drawing attention to our work. Modi is a far-right president and it is bringing attention to the plight of christians..... right-hearted ones will see the discrimination.  Poor people are down to earth and have nothing to lose. They are often more astute than the rich and they are the ones who accept the truth.

39 minutes ago, JW Insider said:

a time when we claimed that 99.9% of the world's population would die at Armageddon.
 

Then these people that do not like what jehovah says must have a talk with jehovah.  Noah's uncles, aunts, father and mother did NOT go in ark with him and the bible says the entire world was condemned through his obedience.  The world was so wicked and violent yet it did not bother these people - they went on with their normal lives asif nothing is wrong.

In the time of Moses, most Egyptians went on as though their God would protect them - even after the miracles coming from jehovah - they had no fear of the true God.  Some Egyptians left with the Israelites..

I hope that jehovah shows who he is in this time of end by means of us - there may be physical signs... even this lock down should make them think. But they remain asleep . Some have asked where we are. Most see the escalating wickedness , violence, child trafficking, racism, hate, acrimony, lies and do not think for a moment about God.  They keep watching their immoral shows on netflex and entertainment. and join the political hate fests..... listening to propaganda and the crowd control.

There are countries where we are not allowed and one faces a death penalty for worshipping another God....... jehovah is the great compensator.  On an individual basis he will judge these, make sure evidences of us are around.

I have spoken to large swathes of these religious people  and come to the conclusion that most PREFER these traditions.  I am convinced jehovah will give most a chance to hear about him. World events and the news are such that most are getting an opportunity to think about their lives - but DO they?  Wickedness and violence  is escalating  everywhere and yet they are not sighing over it. Their spiritual consciousness does not ask questions. Most in free countries are going with the crowd.

I hope that those who refuse the beasts machinations may join us in prison, where we will have opportunity to study with  them.

9 hours ago, Witness said:

For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God. 

Abraham knew jehovah and his name. ... and walked with Him. Most cities in those days had  a priest-king of the chief deity.  Abraham met melchisedek  a priest-king of jehovah, (directly appointed by jehovah) and paid to him tithes.  I have no doubt that jehovah helped abraham to understand that a future priest-king would rule in a city ( organised society)  in which humans would have perfection and all follow gods directions.

9 hours ago, Witness said:

Jesus will reign for a literal thousand years in peace, yet also call it a judgment period as the WT teaches.   How many judgments periods does there need to be? The Great Tribulation is already a test of magnified

When I worked in the Muslim field my appreciation for jehovah's arrangements and the administration of his purpose grew exponentially. 

It is a harsh religion and the events are all over the place - no logic at all.   In steps jehovah, who has logically thought of absolutely everything in his plans.

All people that do not serve Allah must die or are condemned to pay "jizya"  I would ask them about all the millions of people who lived before mo.h.a..m.a.d came to earth and maybe lived in China, remote areas etc ...... these people did not know Jesus, Mohammad - should they not get a chance?   I would ask them if it was just and fair for God to not give these people a chance to get to know Him.

The reasonable persons immediately saw the point. I would then read selected parts of Revelation 20. Showing that 1000 years is allocated in gods plan for these ones to be resurrected and learn about the the true God. They will learn that idolatry is wrong, adultery etc. This is a judgment day for them....... because they will receive justice and see the mercy of jehovah. God is merciful.

Judgement is NOT  condemnation...... (most people think this way),a judgment came after both sides of a case was heard and a fair chance was given  them to explain.   The  1000 years will give justice to those with a good heart condition who had never even heard of the bible, or jehovah. They will learn the language of truth and  jehovah  will give them  a chance for everlasting life. What a merciful God to give a second opportunity (after resurrection)  where the truth is taught!

Judgement day of 1000 years is a beautiful time of education and restoration! Of justice for the oppressed and ignorant.. a time when the physical earth will be restored and many people see the justice and live of jehovah for humankind.  They will then have opportunity to prove their loyalty to God ((with knowledge of the issues involved ) as perfect people.

Unfortunately, some will be like Adam and some will not appreciate the mercy given them. Children for destruction. 

7 hours ago, Anna said:

after the thousand years many will turn

The bible uses the picture "like sand of sea"  ........ this means an undeterminable amount. (Jehovah can count the sea pebbles if he can count our hair.)..... but jehovah will NOT predetermine the number of rebels because this depends on free will and personal choice.

There will be quite a number though, because (if I remember correct) they come up over the earth for war with the holy ones and will be consumed by fire.  So some form of rebellion will again take place against jehovah which will culminate in hate of his people. ...... rebellion against the "holy ones" ...... 

8 hours ago, Witness said:

Satan of the spirit realm or “heavens”, will be destroyed, so death will occur in “heaven”.  Arauna brought out a good scripture in Gen 3:15. 

I just realized that Satan and his demons (although they originally belonged to the realm of the heaven (jehovah's presence) they were allowed back into heaven  until their place was found in heaven no more.  They were disfellowshipped from heaven and thrown down to earth for the last days.  Armageddon in heaven (the cleaning up of heaven ) took place when Jesus was crowned.

Here the demons are completing their destruction of society and will soon go into the abyss.  After this they will be released for a short while after the 1000 years for their final chance to mislead those who want to follow their own desires. Their death will not occur anywhere near the presence of jehovah because jehovah hates death - even the condition of death - as is clearly brought out in the instructions of the Mosaic law. 

Just before their destruction they will be in the realm of the earth not heaven.... 

5 minutes ago, JW Insider said:

says the "other sheep" will not also have that same immortality

I hope so - but if not, I am content to obey and live forever.... 

14 minutes ago, JW Insider said:

heavy spray for mosquitoes a couple years ago,

They recently let loose genetically engineered mosquitos in florida… because they carry west Nile virus etc. … it is really troubling how scientists  are playing at being god and just genetically engineer what they want. any animal that eats mosquitoes will have adverse effects.  Monarch also died like flies when their food source was genetically engineered.

1 hour ago, Srecko Sostar said:

animal continued to live as "perfect creatures" in own

They lived for the purpose that Jehovah created them for and adapted to wicked humans and still survived.  They suffered terribly as Tom said... especially in war time.

I think animals did not eat meat - (I do not believe all these fabricated stories of the T. Rex eating meat) but some animals may have been used to clean up the earth, eating carrion. But I think we will have to wait and see in the new system. Now it is only speculation.  

5 hours ago, JW Insider said:

I don't think it's worth speculating that any will actually rebel, especially after the 1,000 years settles the great legal case against Satan, and will have proven the stupidity and fruitlessness of rebellion.

It will really be a stupid person that will rebel again... but at end of 1000 years some will choose to. 

5 hours ago, JW Insider said:

Even those terms (eternal life and immortality) are not really distinguished in the Bible, only in our doctrine.

The fact that Satan and demons are going to die and Jesus did die after (we do not know how long he was with his father) being with his father - proves that living forever in obedience to Jehovah and immortality is not the same.  Jesus was not immortal... so there is a difference which one can meditate on.

6 minutes ago, JW Insider said:

There seems to be no Scriptural basis for arguing that animals will live forever in the new world, b

Yes only humans have eternity in their hearts.  But at present the entire creation is suffering due to Adam's sin. Animals are abused etc.

Animals have been having babies and doing their thing for millennia - almost perfectly.  But when their mitochondria die - they die. Humans have added stress to the animals. To see genetic defects amongst them used to be rare but it is now becoming more and more prevalent due to pollution in the environment and other stressors.  Their environments are being destroyed by man and they are being used as a commodity - for medicine etc.

1 hour ago, Srecko Sostar said:

One test was in Garden with Tree, Adam and Eve.

Only adam and eve were tested as perfect beings. We all will be tested at the end of the thousand years as perfect beings. … 

1 hour ago, Srecko Sostar said:

here are several causes of death

Large scale death as result of inherited sin will never ever happen again... ever... and the causes of these deaths as well.  The hypothesis arises that if a person in 10 billion years time does as Satan has done.... (although the chances are slim as all will have been tested as perfect sons at end of 1000 years, and perfect people really have to think a lot about being renegade to put deeds into action) Jehovah will have a legal precedent to just remove them. Death is the penalty for sin. Jehovah legally has proven that no one can rule or be rebellious against him without bringing dire consequences to everyone around them. Jehovah may revoke the person's right to life.

The fact that people die from SIN in this system due to inheritance from Adam - this will never ever happen again. Never ever will Jehovah allow a universal court case to settle the issues (which is now ongoing) to prove that independence from him does not work. The suffering of humans now will never ever happen again.

1john 3: The one who practices sin originates with the Devil, because the Devil has been sinning from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was made manifest, to break up the works of the Devil.

All the results of satan's activities will be removed forever - which includes death.

Genesis 3:22 'Jehovah God then said: “Here the man has become like one of us in knowing good and bad.+ Now in order that he may not put his hand out and take fruit also from the tree of life+ and eat and live forever,*—” 

The test at end of 1000 years will truly test human's loyalty as perfect individuals - a second test will not be needed to know that they will remain loyal to Jehovah. Jehovah will provide everything needed to sustain their life forever. However, they will never have their own source of life - something which Jesus and 144000 is granted. immortality and incorruptibility.

8 hours ago, Srecko Sostar said:

We can say how ... death was created, too

The bible calls Satan the father (originator) of murder …… murder is an action which leads to death. John 8:44.  He is called a murderer because he deceived Eve which led to her death.  Jehovah is only a god of life..... He never planned for any to die.  Satan originated death because no one died before Satan's act of rebellion or no other heavenly creature rebelled against Jehovah before Satan's rebellion.  Jehovah allows testing but Satan is the one who brings bad things upon us to tempt us.

James 1:13.  New international version :  ¹³When tempted, no one should say, "God is tempting me." For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone;

6 hours ago, Anna said:

does one reconcile those opposing concepts?

Since all humans will be tested at the end of the 1000 years - as "perfect" humans just as Adam was tested.  Those who remain faithful will have proven as perfect people that they are similar to  Jesus - loyal to Jehovah and his laws.  They will get to eat of the "tree of life".  The tree that was also in the garden of Eden.  

To add to Sreckos thoughts: Yes, adam knew what is was to return to dust because animals did die.  They were not created to live forever.  The bible says that Jehovah put it in the hearts of man to want to live forever.  Although animals instinctively protect their life and look after their young and even put away food for the future - they do not think as humans do about living in future.  Humans can picture a future in their mind.  Humans are also moral individuals - animals are not.... there is more one can say about this but I hope you get the picture.  Ecclesiastes 3:11English Standard Version (ESV) 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. Also, he has put eternity into man's heart, yet so that he cannot find out what God has done from the beginning to the end.

Yes, these militant atheists are gaining strength.  As your article states, they hate any form of spirituality and particularly hate JWs because we do the work of spreading the truth about the bible.  We are a special cult deserving of hateful attack.

I am not surprised that he is working with China because China has systematically been eradicating any form of religion; only allowing worship of the state. They have been using the organs of "conscientious objectors" together with Falun Gong …. more than 10,000 transplants per year of organs harvested from religious groups without their consent. 

Many people still have the idea that China is a good country to live in. They cite that they have had children study there. However, foreigners used to have a good time before, they were not censured in their personal freedom like the Chinese citizens. Now the CCP have started to clamp down on foreigners as well.  Many foreigners are leaving the country.  One can see that these countries are part of the King of the north. 

Russia and China are both expanding their ports in the world...they have moved into many parts of the world and by devious means obtaining the wealth of the earth such as rare earth minerals, control of fishing areas etc.   As seen in Daniel 11: 36 to the end of chapter.  Their partners are previous soviet countries, Iran, turkey, Syria. Russia now has control of a port in Syria and now expanding into Mediterranean in Libya.  Russia annexed Crimea and control the entire Black-sea area there.  Encroaching on the land in the rest of Crimea as well.

If anyone had doubts that we are living in the time of the end …… they must re-examine the scripturas and look at what is really going on in the world.

I console myself that Jehovah will judge these wicked people who love control of other people.  The history of Pharaoh and the ten plagues is wonderful.  We are doing it at present and it gives me faith that Jehovah may use signs again to "I shall prove to be".  The signs are starting.  The world-wide lockdown is a first for the entire planet in all its history since the flood. Noah was locked down for more than a year but now the people of the entire planet is in lockdown - not just one family.

Yes lift up your heads..... scoffers of Jehovah believe that things will improve … that this is just a normal cycle of civilization going down….. but civilization will rise again.  Well, the time is close for Jehovah and his name to be vindicated.  All those killed by these evil people will get a resurrection..... that comforts me... and helps me to put trust only in Jehovah.

Since disobedience lto jehovah leads to death there was no death in heaven until satan turned against jehovah and lied to mislead Adam. Satan is the originator (father) of death. Thereafter angels disobeyed  jehovah.  They are deteriorating but will be put to second death by jehovah. 

@4Jah2me   genesis 3:15. This is the first prophecy in the bible and predicts enmity between the seed (Jesus), the seed's offspring and satans offspring.   It indicates that Jesus would be hurt in the heel but that satan's head would be crushed.  A crushed head is a symbol of everlasting destruction.

5 minutes ago, 4Jah2me said:

why that person should be shunned

What about the above scriptures quoted by Cesar do you not understand.

3 hours ago, Witness said:

I give you the benefit of the doubt, knowing you suffer from arthritis.

I am not bitter at all - just taking you on for accusing JWs of being hypocrites when you yourselves are standing behind the door. 

Yes my eyes are bad and my fingers are numb but I am still managing to write a book.... to walk around, enjoy the sun, to do field service and keep in touch with my loved ones.  What else do I need?  I am content.  Many people do not even know I have these problems because I am upbeat and I do not complain... and I look very healthy....  I just hate having to select the quotes on this forum because it takes a long time to select it.

1 hour ago, Srecko Sostar said:

abnormal rule

You are denying all the scriptures in the bible which refers to this.  So you are deliberately obtuse.  you are saying God is making an abnormal rule......You talk like an atheist. Why should I take you seriously when you do not take the bible seriously.  You say you accept the bible …… but only the parts you like.

Starting a cell - heh?  now that is an example of communist propaganda..... 

1 hour ago, Witness said:

he would have been labeled by today's standards a "PIMO

I do not think you ever were witnesses - you had a 'form of godly devotion' as the bible says.  JWs are taught not to fear labels... whether in your imagination or for real. Your excuses are just too absurd. You most probably strengthened him in his cowardice, painting him a victim of privilege.... when he helped to cover up wrongdoing by choosing to keep quiet in the congregation. 

2 hours ago, Arauna said:

You condemn us for disfellowshipping such ones?  Where is the hypocrisy? hhhhmmmmm.

Don't negate  the point.  You quoted several evils that come from various scriptures...… the point is you detest these qualities and actions, yet you find fault with us for not mixing socially with these kinds of people......

9 hours ago, Witness said:

But the cowards, faithless, detestable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars—their share will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.”  Rev 21:8

You quote this scripture but you still think it OK to mix with such ones on a social level? You condemn us for disfellowshipping such ones?  Where is the hypocrisy? hhhhmmmmm.