What does a person have to do to survive Armageddon?

[Srecko Sostar]

5 hours ago, Anna said:

On 11/26/2017 at 05:27, Noble Berean said:

They have stated that they alone have been granted the capacity from God to properly interpret the Bible's message.

This is not strictly true according to Br. Jackson:

Q.   And do you see yourselves as Jehovah God's spokespeople on earth?  

Br. Jackson.:  That I think would seem to be quite presumptuous to say that we are the only spokesperson that God is using. The scriptures clearly show that someone can act in harmony with God's spirit in giving comfort and help in the congregations, but if I could just clarify a little, going back to Matthew 24, clearly, Jesus said that in the last days - and Jehovah's Witnesses believe these are the last days - there would be a slave, a group of persons who would have responsibility to care for the spiritual food.  So in that respect, we view ourselves as trying to fulfill that role.

Dear Anna, is it possible that you say "this is not strictly true"??

GB claim that WT JWorg is "the only organization supported by JHVH, "the only true religion". How one religion can be as this if people who are leaders of "Gods organization" are not persons who have Gods guidance to properly interpret Bible and all in Bible?? What is needed for one person to be one who can interpret the Bible? Must be guided, inspired by holy spirit - that is first and last. Even for Bible writers is said that those humans was guided by holy spirit in such simple task as it is writing. How much more spirit, one person would need to have for interpreting and living by interpretations from him alone or from other who gives interpretations.

Now, we have to recall past self evaluation of WT leaders aka GB and how they look on such question from ARC and then go to present time to see changed view ( at least for every day using in front secular, worldly people) about unique position of GB (and all JW members too as part of organization) regard that question. Last thing what they said as answer for this and similar was: "WE ARE NOT INSPIRED ......"

If person (persons aka organization) is not "inspired" then he (or they) are not able to represent (to be representative) and to advocate for God as the only one and true member of the only one and true religion! 

Just my imperfect, uninspired and not unique opinion :))))

[Saladin]

2 hours ago, Srecko Sostar said:

GB claim that WT JWorg is "the only organization supported by JHVH, "the only true religion

Dear Srecko,

To a greater extent, so does any other religious leader that claim that right for its church. So, what is the difference, by speaking in this terminology?

[Saladin]

2 hours ago, Srecko Sostar said:

Parables as GB used in the past before they changed a view on Bible text - type and anti-type interpretations. Well also the "parables" are included in this changed position of GB scholars, i suppose :)))

Dear Srecko

Consider the many changes Christendom has made, after the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Has, the JW community changed scripture? or its understanding of scripture. These changes will continue as God provides clarity to those that are willing to accept and obey his commandments.

[Evacuated]

1 hour ago, Srecko Sostar said:

Just my imperfect, uninspired and not unique opinion :))))

This is an honest and commendable assessment, particularly in  that your opinion is not unique.

It was clearly expressed at the time of Moses, and differs little from what was said then about Jehovah's way of guiding his people. I'll only cite the one example.

"So they gathered together against Moses and Aaron and said to them: “We have had enough of you! The whole assembly is holy, all of them, and Jehovah is in their midst. Why, then, should you exalt yourselves above the congregation of Jehovah?" Num.16:3.
 

[Srecko Sostar]

2 hours ago, Saladin said:

So, what is the difference, by speaking in this terminology?

Hi dear Saladin. 

You point out very good what in fact happening in JW religion. Leaders must openly claim in front of their members that they are "the only one". If they would not doing that way, what reason would people have to join this particular religion and not some other :))) who claim the same, hahaha. 

G. Jackson, by such respond in ARC, calls JW followers to look for possibility that "source for interpretations" is not only in GB but can be in some other people. He did not say Who that people can be, or Where they are, but because answer is gave to "non believers", they, ARC "non believers", can normally, logically come to conclusion how GB are in mood of accepting "inspired or non inspired" interpretations from other non JW people, and that they can be "spokesperson" for God, too. In some other organized or non organized religion or movement. But this GB wording is for public only. Members must obey, no matter did they have Bible in home or not, did they read it or not.   

GB leaders must use different terminology and sort of speech in front "worldly people", because they have different way on how to look at issue because they are not "believers nor followers of WT JWorg"  

[Srecko Sostar]

3 hours ago, Saladin said:

Has, the JW community changed scripture? or its understanding of scripture.

Do you making jokes with me dear Saladin? :)))))) 

[Witness]

On 11/25/2017 at 11:42 PM, Srecko Sostar said:

Also, GB by own retrospective self evaluation of food quality ("perfect food" vs "imperfect food") shows how they consider themselves not only as "producer aka kitchen chef" and "sharers aka distributors" of food BUT also as  inspector and controller of food quality. They appropriated the right to evaluate food - this right belongs to the Lord, Master.

Their version of a FDS is a far cry from a faithful “steward” who would gather provisions from all anointed sources, and distribute appropriately to those in need.

Steward –
 one employed in a large household or estate to manage domestic concerns (such as the supervision of servants, collection of rents, and keeping of accounts)

 an employee on a ship, airplane, bus, or train who manages the provisioning of food and attends passengers

 one appointed to supervise the provision and distribution of food and drink in an institution

 one who actively directs affairs : manager

“The Lord said, 'Who then is the faithful and wise steward [of the estate], whom his master will put in charge over his household, to give his servants their portion of food at the proper time?  Blessed (happy, prosperous, to be admired) is that servant whom his master finds so doing when he arrives.'" Luke 12:42,43

Sadly, Wt’s “steward” “beats” his fellow servants into submission to their regimen. 

“But if that servant says in his heart, ‘My master is taking his time in coming,’(“overlapping generation” doctrine) and begins to beat the servants, both men and women, and to eat and drink and get drunk, (Jer 13:13; 25:25; Eph 5:18; Rev 18:3) the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces, and assign him a place with the unbelievers.  And that servant who knew his master’s will, and yet did not get ready or act in accord with his will, will be beaten with many lashes [of the whip].”  Luke 12:45-47

(AMP Bible)

 

 

 

[Saladin]

8 hours ago, Srecko Sostar said:

You point out very good what in fact happening in JW religion. Leaders must openly claim in front of their members that they are "the only one". If they would not doing that way, what reason would people have to join this particular religion and not some other :))) who claim the same, hahaha. 

Dear Srecko

When have you seen the POPE be undiplomatic in public? Why do people in general move from being a Catholic to being a Protestant or Mormon?

There is nothing funny when serving God, and teaching others to serve God by scripture. This is not a nice attitude of any person willing to discuss scripture.

[Saladin]

3 hours ago, Witness said:

Sadly, Wt’s “steward” “beats” his fellow servants into submission to their regimen. 

Dear Witness

This is a rude and not a civil attitude for a Christian to have.

If comparisons are to be made, then Scientology comes to mind.

[Anna]

19 hours ago, Gone Fishing said:

Well I know you probably mean this: "I am not thinking this is a sinister or underhanded way to over assert authority," but when you then say this: "insinuating our prime motive for obedience is to survive Armageddon", to use the word insinuating is a bit confusing to me in view of it's meaning. I definitely do not think the GB are making such an insinuation which would sound remarkably similar to the one made at Job 2:4. And I am sure you do not think that either.

You are right, wrong choice of words. I should have said "it could be misunderstood to mean".....all sorts of things actually. Just too ambiguous. Those kind of statements are exactly the type that cause people to speculate on very "specific" things and then get to having those kind of "narrow minded" ideas you mention. Thankfully the older wise sister put things into proper perspective. Also, it gets people hung up on some kind of specific "announcements" or "revelations". I've seen it, friends discussing this and speculating  on it, especially when there is some significant shift on the world scene....

It raises more questions than it answers, for example:

How will these “new instructions” come from Jehovah, if Jehovah talks to us exclusively through the Bible, and we cannot add anything more to the Bible, and new scrolls won’t be opened till after Armageddon? In other words, instructions that we get now, are either based on the Bible, or on organizational procedures which are based on Bible principles and on common sense. There are no specific instructions on how to survive Armageddon in the Bible (except for the obvious qualifications, to even be considered). So where will these come from?? Instructions we receive now we can check for ourselves in the Bible as per Br. Jackson’s comment "that they be in harmony with the Bible". Are we to believe there will be instructions that we won’t be able to check? How would we be able to decide whether this was "right direction or wrong direction" as per Br. Jackson? Wouldn’t it be more like blind obedience? Is this idea scriptural? In the past, Jehovah’s people had prophets to warn them. Jehovah spoke directly to those prophets. We don’t. We have the Bible right? And the slave that distributes spiritual food. So where will these instructions come from?

19 hours ago, Gone Fishing said:

The logistical stuff comes later and I am sure the GB will know how to delegate in this area according to local need.

Won't they be in heaven by then?

19 hours ago, Gone Fishing said:

strangeness about those instructions will probably be in comparison to what those who don't trust Jehovah are doing at the time. (Compare 1Cor.1:25: "Because a foolish thing of God is wiser than men"). Wonder what Egyptians would have thought about what the Israelites were doing with sheep's blood on the night of the Passover, (if any were aware)? Ex.12:7.

By behavioural instructions that seem strange, I mean ones based on, for example, Matt 5:29 "Do not resist the one who is wicked, but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other also to him." This is the kind of "strange " instruction that is going to lead to salvation

Good points regarding "strangeness" . What I wonder though is; who in actuality is going to deliver those instructions?

I'm not quite satisfied with the answer... yet. Sorry, my own dear mother said I could flog a horse to death.....

[Srecko Sostar]

25 minutes ago, Saladin said:

When have you seen the POPE be undiplomatic in public? Why do people in general move from being a Catholic to being a Protestant or Mormon?

If JW members are glad to see and hear their leaders how they are "diplomatic as Pope is" - ok :))) 

I am also make my move twice time. First from Catholic to JW in 1977 and in 2015 from JW to without belonging to any religion  (flee from Babylon the Great)

[Srecko Sostar]

30 minutes ago, Saladin said:

This is a rude and not a civil attitude for a Christian to have.

Why? :)) "Witness" based her conclusion and perspective in explanation based on Bible text. So Bible is rude and is not enough civilised compared to today's  view on normative,  from 21 century people who have different stand than society and people before 2 or more millenniums.  

And she is polite in communication.  But if she is firm in her standpoint and other looks on that as rude, i think it is not her problem.  Bible talking about many things, some of them are so nice and loving but some are disgusting and are not material for My book of Bible stories for JW kids or any kids