To just go to a jehovahs witness meeting?

[blobtobetter]

One of the older women at work is a Jehovah's Witness. I don't really know what they are but they don't like blood or birthdays. I thought they were just another type of Christian but apparently not.

She keeps asking me to go to a meeting and I keep putting her off. Thinking now that I should just go once and then never again!?

It sounds really shallow but I wouldn't want to give up Christmas!!

Part of me wonders what it would be like. Would they be over friendly? Would they be distant as I am a heathen type? Can't imagine it really.

Most things are changed in their books and magazines, it is hard to keep up with the changes. They don't really state it is a change, they just print it and go on. It is officially called "new light", not oops we goofed, although sometimes what was once "new light" gets changed and what it gets changed to was the original belief, which would make it more like "old light". Like I said, I have more I can list, but I think you get the idea.

Oh he is an attention seeker! Believe me he is the most ungodly person I know.

An example of new light, old light. In the July 1879 it was printed the wicked of Sodom and Gommorah would be resurrected. Then in June 1, 1952 issue, it said they weren't, then in the Aug. 1 1965 WT it said they were Then in Aug 1 1988 it said they weren't. Then in the 1st edition of their "live forever book it said they were. Then in a later edition of the same book, it was changed to they weren't, then in another book called Insight on the Scriptures, it said they were, while at the same time, their "Revelation" book said they were.

I mean weren't for the "revelation" book. I'm trying to tell someone how to make guacamole and type at the same time. :)

Doesn't anyone question the changes?

I get that the big Watchtower changes stuff and publishes it but don't the little JWs at the meetings think anything of it?

No, you don't question it at all. If you were to openly question things, you open yourself up for the Elders to come talk to you and warn you that you are moving independently of the Organization, and if you don't see the error of your ways and continue to question, you could be accused of running ahead of the organization and risk being disfellowshipped.

Plus, most people plain just don't notice. There were several major doctrinal changes that happened when I was in, and I can honestly say that the way it was worked in, I never noticed what had changed.

Also, Google cognitive dissonance. A man called Leon Festinger wrote a book called "When Prophecy Fails" and shows how people who hold beliefs that are proved wrong will find a way to rationalize and ignore the fact that their beliefs were wrong.

:p Once they see my list of questions they won't want me!!

It would be useful to people on this thread to look up the characteristics of a cult.

JWs do meet some of them. Not necessarily all. You can make your own mind up.

Doctrinal changes are presented as god making the light clearer. Where they are acknowledged, they are something to be celebrated - they do not mean that was previously taught was wrong, but that god has now blessed the governing body with clearer understanding.

I do firmly believe however that if there is a god, he has more on his mind than what clothing a woman is wearing in a place of worship.

As I said earlier in the thread, I cannot agree with anything which does not hold itself open to scrutiny but I am fully happy to agree that this is due to the critical analysis skills that I got when I got myself that pesky education!

To those growing up "in the truth" in the 80s - if you were the NO generation those of us teenagers in the 90s were the NOt in front of the adults generation. I can't live with hypocrisy either.

No, Blob, you'll be fine as long as you accept that the only correct answer will be found in JW publications, and once they've told you what the correct answer is, no matter how much sense it makes, you stop asking questions and accept it 100%.

Re changing the dates thing, it should never have been pinned down. the BIBLE says that no one knows the hour except the Father. God is the only one who knows the date. But we're all imperfect, and things were taught that are not correct. There is nothing wrong admitting that, correcting the teaching and moving on from it.

Gosh if I all got stuck in my past and kept revisiting it, I'd never leave my house.

Yes, that is what the Bible says, but what bothers me is the fact that those who claim to be Jehovah's channel of communication that Jesus and Jehovah bless got it wrong in the first place, so what else have they got wrong, and why are they allowing wrong information to go out in the first place, and expect everything they say to be trusted completely?

I'm glad you are not offended by my suggestion blobtobetter I hope that you can find some happiness with your faith, and that it isn't thrown off course too much by organised religion, with all of its man-made agendas.

Sounds something like '1984' and the re-writing of history that 'The Party' carried out continuously. Dare to query anything and you were sent for reprogramming. Dare to believe anything other than the party line and you were sent for reprogramming. Once you'd been reprogrammed, you were vaporised, never to be seen or heard of again.

Good grief !! There is a lot of apostasy on here!

Just ask the lady the questions.....watch how she uses her Bible to show you the answers and ignore all these people who are so biased against a decent group of people Blob.

Hope it goes well.

Consider ourselves bollocked then eh?

whatever, hiddenhome

I take it you haven't succeeded in escaping yet then OnionBhaji?

Apostasy is an odd word - I have never come across it before. Having googled, I don't think it's very nice - has vaguely threatening overtones.

Apostates shall burn in the eternal fires and pits of Hell and we will also call around your home every night and visit you at your place of work until you succumb to our mind control give in and return to our fold

'decent group of people' is definitely a matter of opinion.

No desire to, thanks hiddenhome.

Gave a talk tonight about why it will not be boring to live forever.

Backed it up with scriptures and spoke about how Jehovah is 'satisfying the desire of every living thing.

Who wants to die? No one.
Why do we grieve so much when loved ones die when you think they are going to a better place ie heaven? 'The dead are conscious of nothing at all' says Ecc 9;5

There is a true sense of love and community in our congregation and everyone rallies round in times of need. The boys have good friends and DH and I are very happy. We have a hope for the future which includes the resurrection and life in paradise.

Go for it Blob.

"Apostates shall burn in the eternal fires and pits of Hell" - blimey, where does that happy little thought originate from then?!

Now that I've stopped my cooking lessons via IM, and am able to go dig out my old NWT, here is more what I wanted to say before:

Since the Governing body teaches they're speaking for Jehovah:

Similarly today, a Governing Body composed of spirit-anointed Christians contributes to the unity of the worldwide congregation. The Governing Body publishes spiritually encouraging literature in many languages. This spiritual food is based on God?s Word. Thus, what is taught is not from men but from Jehovah. --Watchtower September 2010.

All who want to understand the Bible should appreciate that the ?greatly diversified wisdom of God? can become known only through Jehovah?s channel of communication, the faithful and discreet slave. Watchtower, Oct. 1 1994

And the New World Testament (their Bible) says in Deuteronomy 18:20-22 says:

"However, the prophet who presumes to speak in my name a word that I have not commanded him to speak or who speaks in the name of other gods, that prophet must die. 21 And in case you should say in your heart: "How shall we know the word that Jehovah has not spoken?" 22 when the prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah and the word does not occur or come true, that is the word that Jehovah did not speak. With preumptuousness the prophet spoke it. You must not get frightened at him."

The fact that they have made errors is very crucial, not something to not think about, because Deuteronomy shows that there will be many false prophets that claim to speak for Jehovah, and they will be known by their prophecies that don't come true, so by the Bible's own reasoning people who prophecy in the name of Jehovah and their prophecies don't come true are false prophets.

Apostate is a fairly benign word in most religions. It means renunciation of religious faith, political party or cause. But in the hands of the Witnesses, coming straight from their own publications, it means someone who is mentally diseased Which is a great definition for them because it leads to the conclusion anyone saying things that are less than flattering about JWs = apostate = mentally diseased = automatically dismissed.

I'm a Catholic Kleenex