Your experiences with JWs

[Cowthulu]

Oh well, they didn't show when they said they would come back. All is not lost, I enjoyed the research preparing for it.

[Silver Hand]

I work with three woman who are JW's.

Actually, one of them happens to be physically disabled, like me. All three have given me pamphlets and studies on "Paradise Earth," where I will one day apparently be able-bodied.

Now, understand that as a Christian, I realize that one day I will have my resurrection body. My wheelchair doesn't bug me because I know I won't need it forever. But I feel so sad for the one woman. The cult got her when she was vulnerable, using her disability to exploit her.

I'm always eager to engage her on theological issues, but she tries to limit the discussion to "Paradise Earth." When I bring up more urgent issues, like salvation or the deity of Christ, she either ignores me or we talk in circles...

I pray for her, and actually request specific literature from her (both to expand my knowledge of the cult for apologetics' sake and to keep her coming to me for discussion). I know I've made progress, getting her to question things, but she definitely puts up a wall.

Don't even get me started on the New World Translation. It's like someone took the NIV and dumped in strange renderings and cultic terminology. Flat-out bad stuff.

[spiritmech]

What's up with the stuff about drinking through a straw? I asked my JW friend about it and he said no, that's not what he believes. Can you give some citation, NathanDavid?
sm

I have had three nice experiences with JW's.

I worked with one, and he was always very quiet. We worked in opposite ends of the building. Eventually I made friends with him and shared some of my views about the Revelation, and he seemed interested. He never argued anything, nor did he ever deny my words or try to sway me.

Same thing at a local Hanna Homes charity, nice JW ladies (I think they were) listened to my views.

Also, many years prior to that a nice JW couple at my door was precious and quiet. Just dropped the leaflet and smiled. It contained no false doctrine that I could find, but I know that there is much in the denomination.

I have had an advantage over most mainstreamers when it comes to the JW's, in that I have done alot of study in Revelation, and I recognize the ICRC as the beast of Revelation 13:1. I also acknowledge that in Acts 1, or Acts 2, we are instructed to obstain from blood, and that drinking through a straw or through a needle is the same to God. So, for that, I salute at least some of the JWs' teaching.

In, I think Gelations, however, it says that no one in his flesh will have any part in heaven, but that there will be a quickening. That is not just figurative. Christ's entire life could be explained away if one were to be figurative about everything. I do appreciate God's purpose with the JW's, though, in that they reject taking blood.

[NathanDavid]

I did a poor job of illustrating that taking blood through a needle to feed your flesh is the same as taking it through a straw. The purpose is to nourish your body.

[Silver Hand]

Given the constant doctrinal shifts and updates, I wouldn't be surprised if "straw-drinkers" were soon disfellowshipped heh

[NathanDavid]

Doctrinal shifts and updates? I stand on the main body of what I have stood on for about seventeen years now. I have to make what the Bible calls "reproof and correction." Only a fool wouldn't! As you were saying?

[spiritmech]

Ok. So straws are okay, needles are bad.
sm

I did a poor job of illustrating that taking blood through a needle to feed your flesh is the same as taking it through a straw. The purpose is to nourish your body.

[Dave G]

One summer I sold books door to door in Indiana. (I'm from Texas).
One afternoon I couldn't get a single person to answer their door, and I was tired and frustrated.
I finally saw a woman in her garden, way back from the back of her house.
I went back to ask her if she was interested, and I told her I hadn't had much luck getting anybody at home.
She said, "Oh, today is the day for the Jehovah's Witnesses to come by. It looks like you've been following them all day."

[Silver Hand]

Doctrinal shifts and updates?

Yes. I'm speaking of the cult who call themselves "Jehovah's Witnesses." Their doctrines and predictions are constantly being questioned and discredited so that they have to shift their theology around update the deadline for the Apocalypse.

I have to make what the Bible calls "reproof and correction." Only a fool wouldn't!

Amen!

[NathanDavid]

Cult or not, the JW's deserve to be loved to Christ. JW's are always polite, and I have never been pressured by a one of them about my beliefs. To the contrary, they have always seemed to offer an ear to my teachings, and I don't even hide the fact that I don't accept their teaching.

I have already stated in one post that I do agree with the JW's that taking another person's blood is an abomination. It goes back to Leviticus 17 . Where I have been pressured and attacked the most for my beliefs is by the United Pentacostals, The New Testament Church (same as U.Ps), and the Church of Christ, I have never been attacked by the JW's.

Whenever I do attend a corporate church service, I usually go to a Church of God. They are immune to the delusions of the CoC. I don't agree with a good bit of the denomination's teachings, especially on the Revelation, but they have great services and are really charitable. Pator Culpepper, now running their big college in Tennessee, is a wonderful personality!

God has a purpose in each separation in the Body of Christ. The Baptists offer basic baptisms and basics about salvation, the Pentacostals a big "to do" about what is said during one's baptism (for which by products of my trials in the fire ultimately led me to easily read and understand Rev 13:14). The Seventh Day's are good at understanding much of Revelation and humansim, but take it too far (as do some on this board with their over-extended interpretations that "just aren't there"). Church of Christ, ditto, but they must have something that God wants me to understand, probably something that I already know and haven't yet updated in my book. Coc was the first denomination to try me with fire, but it fizzled when I shot down their elder and was left to look at his defeated look, and hear him speechless.

The Church of God has the best music of any denomination I have ever encountered. I decided that after having tried the spirits in more than 60 congregations of various divisions in Alabama churches. The other denominations have NEVER offered me any crap about my beliefs, not even my RC friends. My one friend, a doctor's son, is RC in an RC church that uses a KJV. Now THAT's the Spirit of a cool breeze!

John McCain is Episcopalean, right? As is Bush Sr? and Barbara and George Jr. Baptists? Fred Thompson CoC, Huckabee Baptist, Romney LDS, Biden Catholic, Obama occult, American Sweetheart Palin - full gospel non-denomination? Who did I miss? Hillary, methodist-feminist "fill in the blank here..."? Bill, sexual predator?

[NathanDavid]

Silver Hand, you should be commending the JW's for accepting that they have errors. If they event to a better truth than I, then I will learn more of what they offer. I know that they do not believe in being a part of the world's governments. I used to think that way, but Moses was in the transfiguration, despite some of the teaching in Corinthians about not going before "unbelievers" in the secular courts...

Is this why we are discussing the JW's, because they are actually accepting correction? They are getting bashed for that? Man, this is a dismal thread...

[Sparko]

Silver Hand, you should be commending the JW's for accepting that they have errors. If they event to a better truth than I, then I will learn more of what they offer. I know that they do not believe in being a part of the world's governments. I used to think that way, but Moses was in the transfiguration, despite some of the teaching in Corinthians about not going before "unbelievers" in the secular courts...

Is this why we are discussing the JW's, because they are actually accepting correction? They are getting bashed for that? Man, this is a dismal thread...

You seem to be under the misunderstanding that JW's are just some offshoot Christians with legalistic ideas.

Jehovah's Witnesses are a true Cult, and their doctrines put them outside of Christianity altogether. They are not part of the body of Christ. They are lost souls who need our help finding their way to the true Jesus just like any atheist, hindu, agnostic, buddhist, or muslim does.



Yes Christ loves them, just like he loves all mankind, but he knows they are lost too.

[cecropia]

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[MooseOnTheLoose]

Sparko:
Jehovah's Witnesses are a true Cult, and their doctrines put them outside of Christianity altogether. They are not part of the body of Christ. They are lost souls who need our help finding their way to the true Jesus just like any atheist, hindu, agnostic, buddhist, or muslim does.

Yeah, burn all the non-true believers!

cecropia
I detest what they do to people.

What do they 'do' to people? Stretch them on a rack?

[rogue06]

Sparko:
Jehovah's Witnesses are a true Cult, and their doctrines put them outside of Christianity altogether. They are not part of the body of Christ. They are lost souls who need our help finding their way to the true Jesus just like any atheist, hindu, agnostic, buddhist, or muslim does.

Yeah, burn all the non-true believers!

I really don't think that's what Sparko is advocating here, do you?


As an aside I had two JWs come to my house about a decade ago. They asked if the could come in for a talk. I said sure, but in exchange they had to listen to and discuss my religious beliefs as well. They said they were pressed for time but would like to come by tomorrow afternoon when they had more time for the talk. I never heard from them or any other JWs again. The JWs still come into the neighborhood every so often but none ever stop at my door. I guess I'm on some sort of "do not bother" list