ANOTHER Difficult Doctrine. With a less complex explanation.

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

If in the travails of life, you see no evidence of "Love Never Fails" ... perhaps you should associate with a box of puppies.

[Patiently waiting for Truth]

Does anyone actually pay money for web space for this forum ? Because the last 4 or 5 pages on this topic have been total rubbish.   I've noted only 3 sensible comments, 2 from @Srecko Sostar and 1 from @Anna . 

I do love @Anna 's comment comparing the GB / W/t / JW Org to a fortuneteller.  And we know where fortunetellers get their info from don't we  , and it isn't from God or Christ. 

As for this :-

 

On 12/23/2019 at 11:09 AM, b4ucuhear said:

Stuff will happen when Jehovah says it should happen. We should be more concerned with whether we will be ready for it. 

Well yes you should, but, you should also be concerned that what you preach is honest truth. Going around frightening people with an 'end is nigh' message and a 'only baptised JWs will be saved' message is not teaching truth to anyone. To pretend that JWs door to door witnessing is doing God's will. well I'm sure you know it isn't.  

 

[Srecko Sostar]

19 minutes ago, 4Jah2me said:

To pretend that JWs door to door witnessing is doing God's will. well I'm sure you know it isn't.  

You made excellent point... question is not should we preach, but what to preach. 

[TrueTomHarley]

1 hour ago, 4Jah2me said:

Because the last 4 or 5 pages on this topic have been total rubbish.   I've noted only 3 sensible comments

You have only yourself to blame. I have commented many times more than that—each one is a masterpiece.

53 minutes ago, Srecko Sostar said:

You made excellent point... question is not should we preach, but what to preach. 

What do you suggest that should be?

[Srecko Sostar]

6 minutes ago, TrueTomHarley said:

You have only yourself to blame. I have commented many times more than that—each one is a masterpiece.

What do you suggest that should be?

Few fundamental things which Jesus thought.

[TrueTomHarley]

1 minute ago, Srecko Sostar said:

Few fundamental things which Jesus thought.

Which are?

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

I suspect that can be reduced to a single page of six paragraphs, and never need revision.

[TrueTomHarley]

6 minutes ago, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

I suspect that can be reduced to a single page of six paragraphs, and never need revision.

If so, Srecko has dodged many a question in declining to do it.

 

[Srecko Sostar]

9 minutes ago, TrueTomHarley said:

If so, Srecko has dodged many a question in declining to do it.

 

What Translation of Bible you prefer? :))) Choose one and please read all what including His teachings. After that, You will have no need for my answers.

[Patiently waiting for Truth]

But if GB / Writing department only wrote TRUTH that they were 100% certain of and could prove, then the Watchtower mags would be empty, and there would be no 'talk outlines' to use. However, why is it not possible to just have meetings that give praise to God through Christ, without needing to give false information through a magazine ? And why do people need to be told, using a 'Work Book', what to preach ? Surely if they are qualified to preach they would know in their hearts what to preach.  It all just shows that the congregants are just puppets for the GB and it's Org. 

Of course it also shows that I'm not qualified to preach to others  or I would be doing so. Unfortunately, having got rid of a fake foundation, I haven't yet built a new foundation. But i still think that having an empty cup is better than having a cup of poison. So I've thrown the poison away, washed out the cup (my heart and my mind), and now I'm ready to receive truth. But where that truth will come from i do not know. 

 

[b4ucuhear]

21 hours ago, 4Jah2me said:

you should also be concerned that what you preach is honest truth. Going around frightening people with an 'end is nigh' message and a 'only baptised JWs will be saved' message is not teaching truth to anyone. To pretend that JWs door to door witnessing is doing God's will. well I'm sure you know it isn't. 

 We should all be concerned with what we preach as being the honest truth - that's what "truth" seekers do. But it is also fair to say that while God knows absolute truth, Bible truths have been gradually revealed from the first prophecy in Gen. 3:15 regarding the seed (and other prophecies) until now. The Patriarchs, Jews, early Christians and JW's today have always had to revise their understanding/expectation of certain things they had assumed/believed to be true as more information was forthcoming. Some see that as a bad thing - being "wrong" about certain beliefs or expectations, while I see it as a positive/progressive trait - which is what one would expect from truth "seekers." The fact that JW's have made  changes and continue to do so shows they are humble enough to admit their mistakes and correct matters. (That assumes as well that other changes will likely be made as they are confronted with more realities. Some dates have gone by the wayside and maybe even 1914 could be discarded eventually. Who knows?) Dates are of little concern to anyone who intends their dedication to God to be forever. In fact, on studies with other people, I qualify these types of things as our "present understanding" organizationally, but if a change in thinking takes place don't be too upset about it. It's part of the growing process all humble servants of God have rolled with. On other things, like war, hellfire, Trinity, Christmas...I'm certainly more definite about. 

 "Going around frightening people with an 'end is nigh' message and a 'only baptized JW's will be saved' message is not teaching truth to anyone." First of all as you should already know, our preaching work is not to go around "frightening people." If that was our purpose, we would be preaching what almost every other religion on earth you would have a choice of going to would preach: Hellfire. So we are different in that respect. What we preach is the gospel or good news. Good news about what? As everyone knows, it is the "good news of God's Kingdom" that we preach in all the inhabited earth for a witness to all the nations before the end comes. (Matt. 24:14). Also to make disciples. (Matt. 28:19, 20; Acts 28:28, 30) We even look at Armageddon as a positive in clearing the world of Satan's system and those who aren't interested in doing God's will in favour of those who are. We are informing people they have a choice. There is nothing new there:
Deut. 11:26-28: "See, I am putting before you today a blessing and a curse 27 the blessing if you obey the commandments of Jehovah your God that I am commanding your today 28 and the curse if you do not obey the commandments of Jehovah your God and you turn aside from the way I am commanding you to follow..." There are many other Bible passages in the same vein.

  "To pretend that JW's door to door witnessing is doing God's will, well I'm sure you know it isn't." If you can't be honest then don't project that on us. Of course we believe witnessing is something Jehovah's "Witnesses" should be doing. While you may disagree with our message you can't say we don't "walk-the-walk" when it comes to witnessing/preaching about God's Kingdom and what it will accomplish. It is one of the main focuses of our organization. While we may not know the "day and hour" and can't predict the future regarding dates, the message about God's Kingdom to us, is a clear focus in the Bible. So if you don't think we are doing God's will as to our door-to-door work, then you are welcome to your opinion - but at least be honest about it. I for one, DO believe we are.

2 Tim> 4:2 "Preach the word; be at it urgently in favourable times and difficult times..." Romans 10:14 "How in turn, will they hear without someone to preach..." Matt. 10:7 As you go, preach saying: 'The Kingdom of the heavens has drawn near." Heb. 10:15 "How, in turn, will they preach unless they have been sent out?" Acts 10:42 " Acts 10:42 "Also, he ordered us to preach to the people and to give a thorough witness..." Luke 9:2 "And he sent them out to preach the Kingdom of God and to heal." ... 

 

[Srecko Sostar]

1 hour ago, b4ucuhear said:

The Patriarchs, Jews, early Christians and JW's today have always had to revise their understanding/expectation of certain things they had assumed/believed to be true as more information was forthcoming. Some see that as a bad thing - being "wrong" about certain beliefs or expectations, while I see it as a positive/progressive trait - which is what one would expect from truth "seekers." The fact that JW's have made  changes and continue to do so shows they are humble enough to admit their mistakes and correct matters.

To be wrong in understanding, in expectations and beliefs, is normal human business. To revise things we see as wrong is also normal and beneficial.

What is NOT normal is when leaders, in this endless process of revision, condemn and exclude all those who disagree. Church leaders and elders proclaims all such individuals as spiritually weak, unfaithful, apostates, usurpers ..etc. And all other rank and file members join to them in this judging and shunning. And for what? For things described as ""positive and progressive trait" of "wrongs". 

Until today, all this JW's elders who are long enough in organization, should learned till now how they judging people on basis of unstable truths and knowledges which continue to change. In that respect, elders are NOT humble and not admitting their mistakes and they not correcting matters - because all those who are dfd and shunned because of doctrinal issues needed to have a different treatment, and should be rehabilitated, amnestied . Treatment that would show how JW "truth and knowledge" is in process of revisions and changes .... to some future confirmation. And how "open minded" elders see and understand this reality.