Why doesn't the Society translate and provide the Russian Court Transcripts for us?

[John 12.24to28]

The man said "as you continue to follow the direction...through his faithful slave...they will see how he is keeping you safe and secure."

 

Yeah, they'll see it when Bethel gets attacked by the UN at the beginning of the great tribulation and the GB gets removed. That's when they'll see how foolish it is to follow men rather than follow God. That's when they'll see that the "FDS" teaching is a sham and an apostasy, and that it didn't have Jesus approval.

 

 

[John 12.24to28]

13 minutes ago, Fausto Hoover said:

Is it true that Jehovah's Witnesses believed that the return of Christ occurred in 1874? What could be the reason behind Dale C. Allison Jr distorting and confusing the public? There are countless misleading books that do not grasp the concept of understanding the Bible according to the teachings of the Org by way of Christ.

 

I am one of Jehovah's witnesses, and the return of Christ didn't happen in 1874 or in 1914. The stuff the org is teaching at present is wrong on that 1914 thing, but their false teaching doesn't change that Jehovah is true. They are misrepresenting Jehovah, but Jesus is going to fix that when he gets here.

[Pudgy]

Wow!

[Srecko Sostar]

27 minutes ago, redHarmonioussparrow said:

How can we deal with former members who interpret every word literally?

Is it possible for hypocrisy to be viewed objectively?

Pastor Russell NOT the Founder of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Contrary to some publicity made concerning "Jehovah’s Witnesses," Pastor Charles Taze Russell is not the founder of this religious group. He was never associated with them, nor did he ever claim the name. Pastor Russell died in 1916, while the "Jehovah’s Witnesses" did not come into existence until 1931. Linking Pastor Russell with "Jehovah’s Witnesses" leaves the decidedly mistaken view that their teachings and beliefs are alike. Such is not the case.

How could Jehovah's Witnesses suspect Christ's presence in 1874?

 

[John 12.24to28]

1 hour ago, redHarmonioussparrow said:

How can we deal with former members who interpret every word literally?

Is it possible for hypocrisy to be viewed objectively?

Pastor Russell NOT the Founder of Jehovah’s Witnesses.

Contrary to some publicity made concerning "Jehovah’s Witnesses," Pastor Charles Taze Russell is not the founder of this religious group. He was never associated with them, nor did he ever claim the name. Pastor Russell died in 1916, while the "Jehovah’s Witnesses" did not come into existence until 1931. Linking Pastor Russell with "Jehovah’s Witnesses" leaves the decidedly mistaken view that their teachings and beliefs are alike. Such is not the case.

How could Jehovah's Witnesses suspect Christ's presence in 1874?

 

There is a lot of propaganda in the "Proclaimers" book, but there is also some truth.

 

Jehovah has always had witnesses. It's only in this past century that some people made the words "Jehovah's witnesses" into a label "Jehovah's Witnesses". There are Jehovah's witnesses in that organization, and there are also Jehovah's witnesses outside that organization.

 

Back in the dark ages, there were Jehovah's witnesses.

 

There are some Jehovah's witnesses who don't even know Jehovah's name. But they are His witnesses because they know God is Love, and they do the best they can with the information they have.

 

Jehovah is not tied down to some manmade label. He's Jehovah. He's the one who tells us who is who and what is what. He doesn't need us to tell Him who His own witnesses are.

 

"This is what Jehovah says, the Holy One of Israel, the One who formed him: 

“Would you question me about the things coming 

And command me about my sons and the works of my hands?  

I made the earth and created man on it. 

I stretched out the heavens with my own hands, 

And I give orders to all their army.”   

 

(Isaiah 45:11,12)

 

When were the words of Isaiah written? Long before the 1900s. Long before 1874.

 

"“You are my witnesses,” declares Jehovah, 

“Yes, my servant whom I have chosen, 

So that you may know and have faith in me 

And understand that I am the same One.  

Before me no God was formed, 

And after me there has been none.  

I—I am Jehovah, and besides me there is no savior.”  

“I am the One who declared and saved and made known 

When there was no foreign god among you.  

So you are my witnesses,” declares Jehovah, “and I am God. 

Also, I am always the same One; 

And no one can snatch anything out of my hand.  

When I act, who can prevent it?” 

This is what Jehovah says, your Repurchaser..."

 

(Isaiah 43:10-14)

 

Jehovah has had witnesses since the beginning of time. Jesus is a witness. The angels are witnesses. There have been many faithful witnesses of Jehovah in heaven and on earth.

 

Shortly, Jehovah is going to do marvelous works, undeniable expressions of His anger against false religion, just as He did in ancient Egypt with the plagues on the false gods of that generation. Jehovah will again rescue those who love Him, and everyone with eyes in their head will know it was Jehovah who did it. In that day, many who are now "unbelievers" will turn around and bear witness to Jehovah, to His glory and praise, just like some of the ancient Egyptians did when they saw the plagues on the false gods of Egypt. Also in that day, many of those who worship the GB and other "idols" will repent and discard those "images". 

 

"One will say: “I belong to Jehovah.” 

Another will call himself by the name of Jacob, 

And yet another will write on his hand: 

“Belonging to Jehovah.”  

And he will adopt the name of Israel.’  

This is what Jehovah says, 

The King of Israel and his Repurchaser, Jehovah of armies:  

‘I am the first and I am the last. 

There is no God but me. 

Who is there like me? 

Let him call out and tell it and prove it to me! 

From the time I established the people of long ago, 

Let them tell both the things to come 

And what will yet happen.  

Do not be in dread, 

And do not become paralyzed with fear.  

Have I not told each of you beforehand and declared it? 

You are my witnesses. 

Is there any God but me? 

No, there is no other Rock; 

I know of none.’” 

All who form carved images amount to nothing, 

And their cherished objects will be of no benefit.  

As their witnesses, they see nothing and know nothing, 

So those who made them will be put to shame.  

Who would form a god or cast a metal image 

That can bring no benefit?  

Look! All his associates will be put to shame!"

 

(Isaiah 44:5-11)

 

Soon Jehovah is sending Jesus who will make clear what is the right and straight way of Jehovah. Jesus will gather all the "exiles", including the right-hearted exJWs and others who hunger and thirst for truth and justice.

 

“I have raised up a man in righteousness, 

And I will make all his ways straight.  

He is the one who will build my city 

And set my exiles free without a price or a bribe,” says Jehovah of armies."

 

(Isaiah 45:13)

 

Jehovah knows who His children are. 

 

"...the solid foundation of God remains standing, having this seal, “Jehovah knows those who belong to him,” and, “Let everyone calling on the name of Jehovah renounce unrighteousness.""

 

(2 Timothy 2:19)

 

We are Jehovah's witnesses.

[John 12.24to28]

😆

 

(People like to overcomplicate things. Oh, well.)

[John 12.24to28]

1 hour ago, redHarmonioussparrow said:

Is the Watchtower the only church of Jehovah?

 

 

Isaiah chapter 2

 

Watchtower likes to say this already happened, but it hasn't happened yet...

 

"In the final part of the days, 

The mountain of the house of Jehovah 

Will become firmly established above the top of the mountains, 

And it will be raised up above the hills, 

And to it all the nations will stream.  

And many peoples will go and say: 

“Come, let us go up to the mountain of Jehovah, 

To the house of the God of Jacob.  

He will instruct us about his ways, 

And we will walk in his paths.”  

For law will go out of Zion, 

And the word of Jehovah out of Jerusalem."

 

We are not in the final part of the days yet. The final part of the days is during the great tribulation.

 

All of the so-called "Christian" denominations have various levels of apostasy in their ranks. The Watchtower has doctrines that are leftover from "magic/spiritistic" practices like the 1914-numerology-pyramidology-thing, as well as other false doctrines. The worship of the GB/FDS is a form of idolatry. When Daniel was describing the dream image to Nebuchadnezzar he said "you are the head of gold". When people are worshipped, it is as if they have become "images of gold and silver." Here is what God said in Isaiah chapter 2 about such "images"...

 

"Their land is filled with worthless gods. 

They bow down to the work of their own hands, 

To what their own fingers have made...

Man’s haughtiness will be brought down, 

And the arrogance of men will bow low.  

Jehovah alone will be exalted in that day. 

The worthless gods will completely disappear...

In that day men will take their worthless gods of silver and of gold 

That they had made for themselves to bow down to 

And throw them away to the shrewmice and to the bats, 

In order to enter into the holes in the rocks 

And into the clefts of the crags, 

Because of the terrifying presence of Jehovah 

And his majestic splendor, 

When he arises to make the earth tremble in terror.  

For your own sakes, quit trusting in mere man, 

Who is only the breath in his nostrils.  

Why should he be taken into account?"

 

All the denominations have their "images", men who are looked to for salvation rather than Jehovah.

 

"In the final part of the days" Jehovah will make it clear how to worship Him correctly. True worship will be refined. Jesus said so in the messages to the congregations as recorded in Revelation chapters 2 and 3. The angels of the congregations will help with the process. (The "angels" are spirit creatures, not "elders" as the Watchtower likes to teach.)

 

"The conclusion of this system of things" hasn't happened yet. It happens during the 3 1/2 years of the great tribulation. That's when this verse will be fulfilled too...

 

"The harvest is a conclusion of a system of things, and the reapers are angels.  Therefore, just as the weeds are collected and burned with fire, so it will be in the conclusion of the system of things.  The Son of man will send his angels, and they will collect out from his Kingdom all things that cause stumbling and people who practice lawlessness,  and they will pitch them into the fiery furnace. There is where their weeping and the gnashing of their teeth will be.  At that time the righteous ones will shine as brightly as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father. Let the one who has ears listen."

[Srecko Sostar]

36 minutes ago, Fausto Hoover said:

Can former members actually argue apostasy?

A person who asks such a question should be able not to look at former members of a church as if they were apostates. People stop being members of a religion for various reasons. Church members who remain faithful to their traditions usually look with displeasure at those who leave. They are especially bitter about those who leave for reasons of disagreement with the theology or politics of how the Church is run.
Now I would like to use the commonly known practice of becoming a member of a Christian church. People should be baptized inside a church. Either at birth or at some other age. We see that many religious communities baptize minors as well as adults. By the act of baptism, one becomes a member of a certain church.
I would use the following illustration. Jesus was born in Jewish nation. By his very birth, he became a member of one nation and one religion. Therefore, he could not choose which nation he would belong to and which religion he would follow. It was determined for him by others. Regardless of whether he came from Heaven or not. That is not important now for the question from the beginning of the post.
What happened when Jesus was about 30 years old? He chose the baptism of John the Baptist and became what was later called a Christian. Jesus converted from the Jewish religion to the Christian religion. In fact, he is the originator, the founder of the Christian religion. But, as a Christian, he spoke a lot about the Jewish religion.

Can we say that Jesus had no right to comment and discuss apostasy in the Jewish religion as a former believer of the Jewish religion?

[John 12.24to28]

47 minutes ago, redHarmonioussparrow said:

New Zealand has at least some strong traditions

 

?? 😆

 https://www.thomascook.in/places-to-visit/unusual-customs-in-new-zealand-17702

 

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/zealand-sheep-protest-chants-video-sheep-respond-calls-20012015

[John 12.24to28]

1 hour ago, redHarmonioussparrow said:

Erohist Source J

??

 

Ero host or Era Host or Elo hist?

 

https://typeset.io/pdf/the-ero-host-galaxy-of-grb-020127-implications-for-the-e32fb9bi48.pdf

 

https://era.host/en/

 

https://gist.github.com/Ewpratten/04d2e1b371a722b2ed33b77f57215e2b

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elohist

 

(I'm thinking you meant "Elohist" right? Must have been a typo? Or...)

 

 

[Pudgy]

It was very obvious how much apostasy is a flexible thing with the examples of Michael Jackson and Prince, and Prince reportedly contributed $30,000 a month to his local Kingdom Hall.

They are both dead now, so they are either playing harps, or those damned accordions.

[John 12.24to28]

48 minutes ago, AudreyAnnaNana said:

 

?? 😆

 https://www.thomascook.in/places-to-visit/unusual-customs-in-new-zealand-17702

 

https://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/zealand-sheep-protest-chants-video-sheep-respond-calls-20012015

 

🎶"What is love? Baby don't herd me..." Lol😆