Permission to get baptized

[Matthew9969]

So I have heard that witnesses need to pass a 80 question exam by the elders. Why do you need to pass an exam, and if you pass isn't this getting permission from men to have a personal relationship with Christ?

[TrueTomHarley]

7 hours ago, Matthew9969 said:

So I have heard that witnesses need to pass a 80 question exam by the elders. Why do you need to pass an exam, and if you pass isn't this getting permission from men to have a personal relationship with Christ?

This requirement is in harmony with a suggestion from Ronald J Sider in his book, “The Scandal of the Evangelical Concience” in which he explores the question: “Why are Christians living just like the rest of the world?” Their conduct is so shocking that it should “drive us to our knees in repentance,” he says.

The specific remedy that he offered was: “Make it harder to join.” So he does not agree that just saying you have a personal relationship with Christ is enough. 

This is just one of four proposed remedies he offered. As it turns out, Jehovah’s Witnesses employ them all. And yes, they do go a long way in cleaning up the mess of words not matching deeds that afflicts the evangelical world. I wrote about it here:

https://www.tomsheepandgoats.com/2007/12/four-suggestion.html

 

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

I noticed you did not even remotely answer his specific question .....

[TrueTomHarley]

45 minutes ago, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

I noticed you did not even remotely answer his specific question .....

I left it that one for you while I answered the more far-reaching one that he should have asked

[TrueTomHarley]

1 hour ago, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

even remotely

Oh. Maybe you really did not see the connection. He asked why isn’t it easy to be a Witness? (why the 80 questions) I responded with Sider’s observation that it is not good for it to be easy. The quickie version results in conduct indistinguishable from the world.

[James Thomas Rook Jr.]

Considering your unrelated answer, TTH, I am beginning to wonder if you saw his actual question.  It is quite clear you did not comprehend it as written, as you wandered off-topic about something you had already prepared, before he asked his question.

Just for Yuks, heah tis',  his question quoted:

12 hours ago, Matthew9969 said:

So I have heard that witnesses need to pass a 80 question exam by the elders. Why do you need to pass an exam, and if you pass isn't this getting permission from men to have a personal relationship with Christ?

There is a problem with his question, as I am sure you are well aware ... it's HARDER and more complex than the question you answered  ....... that was not asked.

....AND ... as usual, today's Dilbert Cartoon addresses this kind of presumptuousness, specifically:  (" ... I left it that one for you while I answered the more far-reaching one that he should have asked." - TTH)

[Srecko Sostar]

We have, it seems two sort of "burden" or "yoke". And two ways how implement this in person?s life.

We have Jesus' "burden" he ask us to carry. 

And we see "Organizational" way of implementations of principles set by Jesus. Organization as such have need to broaden administrative system of ruling over people. If person want to candidate for some job, he have to give his CV and answer on questions by boss. If you want to be as volunteer member in one religious organization, not to be paid for work you done in own name, but under elders leadership, you are also obligated to be guided by some rules. It seems logical, BUT we have here some spiritual moments that make this 80 questions as human invention not empowered by spirit. In example of man who, after some time/hours of talking with Philip said, See, here is water!  

And this example is not unique in Bible.

[TrueTomHarley]

5 hours ago, James Thomas Rook Jr. said:

There is a problem with his question

Fine. Give me your address and any persons who want to be baptized yet refuse to provide any evidence that they know what they are doing I will send to you. You can baptize them in your tub and they can help you scour the funnies for items to post.

Let them all be islands unto themselves if they like. No one will interfere with that decision.

Even the 80 questions is not enough in our congregation. We make people punch in at meetings. It cuts down on stragglers.

[Shiwiii]

5 hours ago, TrueTomHarley said:

Fine. Give me your address and any persons who want to be baptized yet refuse to provide any evidence that they know what they are doing I will send to you

I find it quite funny that Srecko destroyed your inability to form sarcasm here in this post, without intent, with his example of the Ethiopian and Phillip before your comment. 

Acts 8: 35-38

Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?”  And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him.

[Srecko Sostar]

4 hours ago, TrueTomHarley said:

any persons who want to be baptized yet refuse to provide any evidence that they know what they are doing 

That is why clergy in some churches can show evidence for what they know. Some Diploma. :))

Elders have no diploma or prove for credential. Do they have to answer on 80 or 180 questions to be accepted as servants. No, all they need is to be appointed by GB and Spirit or by CO. You would know better how it works today.

This process is different. JW's are merely volunteers. All of them, GB, elders, members.   Volunteers not need to have evidence for education level, or some formal degree for qualification in some field. They learning while walking. Somebody told/teach them in few sentences what they have to do, and that is that. :)))  That is voluntarism. You don't need special knowledge, but wish, desire and good will to do something for free for other people benefit.

As for baptism, person need to meet much less than 80 questions: - Do you believe? Do you repent? Do you love? Do you have faith? Perhaps, when Jesus speaking about knowing God as fundamental for eternal life,  he meant on few basic points: love, faith and trust as evidences that God looking for to see in mind and heart of individual.

[TrueTomHarley]

41 minutes ago, Shiwiii said:

I find it quite funny that Srecko destroyed your inability

Can you really destroy an inability? And if you could, wouldn’t that be a good thing?

[Shiwiii]

9 minutes ago, TrueTomHarley said:

Can you really destroy an inability? And if you could, wouldn’t that be a good thing?

Yes, Tom, I should have worded it differently. Choose one:

 

Srecko destroyed your attempt at sarcasm here in this post,

Srecko destroyed your post.

Srecko dismantled your sarcasm here in this post,

 

Point is still, without trying, he made your statement void before you even said it.