Serious Question for Jehovah Witnesses.?

Question

This is not a trick question, I promise you. I'm not going to critisise ANY answer. I may, however, ask for clarification, on an answer. The only thing I ask is please do not answer with, "That couldnt happen". I dont believe anyone could possible know that. I'd rather you not answer at all, than to post that one. Here is the Question:

If next week the Watchtower was to change to one of the 3 doctrines listed below, what would be your response?

1) ALL JW's now get to go to Heaven
2) Its now OK to serve in the Armed Forces
3) Hell DOES exist for all non-JW's

Would you reject this? And if so, what would be the concequenses? Disfellowship?

Would you accept this? And if so, how would you process all of the Scripture Proofs that was used to support the former view?

ALL answers are welcome. Except of course the "it wouldnt happen" one.
We all know its hypothetical. But some teachings have changed in the past. So, it is possible. (I at least think so).
Thanks for honesty.

Answer 1

Well firstly I would require scriptural proof for any of these things you mention, though Armed forces is a matter of choice, that is why are called conciensious objectors, it is because our Bible based beliefs show us murder is wrong.

When all the dust settled it would ultimately come down to whether or not I agreed with what I was being told. I would do extensive personal study. If I eventually came to the same conclusion, I would be rather glad to have learned something new. In the more likely event that I disagreed with the new findings, I would continue my studies, both as a way of seeking to understand things and also to help clarify to others why I feel the way I do. I would also make sure I sent letters to various branches.

Answer 2

1. What would happen to the earth?
2. How can we serve 2 masters? Jehovah and the State.
3. Hell does exist. It is mankind's common grave. For JWs too. We all go. Knowing the dead can't feel anything means it is not torture.

The consequences are to reject that issue as being something written by deceivers, a phantom issue. Like the movie coming out with Richard Gere about a false biography of Howard Hughes.

Yes, teachings have changed before. As we go on in time we see things better. Decades ago, doctors refused to wash their hands between surgeries or sterilize instruments. Today, we would jump off the guerney if we saw that. We learn! JWs know more because we study more. We have put off the weight of man's old beliefs. All that stuff dreamed up by churches to get pagans' property and wealth, not caring where it came from is holding people down. It is not healthy.

Our beliefs are based solely on the Bible. If it or the guiding principles are against something, we don't do it. Example: the churches teach the soul goes on and on. The Bible says the soul dies. Which one am I going to believe? Some grumpy old man in a backwards collar or the Bible? Which one can give me life, man or God?

Answer 3

We follow Jehovah and his word the bible. He is unchanging.
If he says that only 144,000 are to rule in heaven as kings over the earth, that the meek will inherit the earth, reside forever upon it, that we are to learn war no more, to love our enemy, that the dead are conscious of nothing, there is going to be a resurrection of the righteous and the unrighteous, then it is true.

Jehovah has an organization and if his truth is being misrepresented in anyway, he will make sure that any apostate is removed and does not harm the flock. Jesus had Judas betray him, the bible warned that it could happen. We have to always rely on Jehovah, he is the one we worship, not man.

It took years for the early bible students to remove all the former practices and teachings of Christedom. They had to learn to rely totally on the bible and not traditions of men. Some understandings have slightly changed the deeper we get into this time of the end. The light gets brighter as Jehovah reveals them at the proper time.

Heb. 6: 17 & 18; Rev. 7: 4, Rev. 14:1; Rev. 20: 6; Rev 5:10; Ps 37: 10, 11 & 29; Rev. 7: 9; Is 2: 4; Matt 5:44; Ecc. 9: 5, Ecc. 6:10; Ps 146:4; John 5: 28 & 29; Acts 24: 15; Acts 20:30; 2 Pet 2: 1 & 3; Pro. 4: 18; Matt. 24: 45

edit: regarding Suzannes commit: It is not okay to join military service. I don't know where you got your information. There are many brothers in other countries in prison because they will not serve in the military. If someone joins the military, they are considered no longer a Jehovah's Witnesses.

As far as voting, it is not okay to vote. There was a question to do with someone who is married to an unbeliever and their insistance that they vote. This would be up to that persons conscious, to keep peace. This was the only situation that the voting issue has come up. So no Jehovah's Witnesses to note vote or get involve with any political matters.

Answer 4

You're making a broad assumption that there are people in life time positions of power who make these decisions. There isn't. You find that in Christendom, not in the JWs.

What would be the sense of such a radical change when someone new is going to be sitting in your seat in a few months or years?

For you not to accept that it "wouldn't happen" merely shows your lack of knowledge of how the Watchtower works, and you idea that they are like Christendom in their leadership structure. They aren't. The governing body does not remain the same people or number of people for very long, that where there is no one who can say their are an authority on something, and can make these changes.

The structure of the religion prevents it, in that it is made of of cells, rather than the mega churches with elitists being paid to make all the decisions. Every week, over 100 people become elders, as 5-10 new congregations are formed.

You can not know what it is like int he witnesses by being on the outside looking in, and listening to the critics. Every active witness is a legal minister, so no elitists telling everyone else what the believe.

And if you find that hard to believe, than that is why you are on the outside asking a question without all the facts.

Answer 5

Governments in the past have sent false letters to congregations trying to change Christ doctrine but the letters would not change what the Christians already know.

That the meek will inherent the earth.

Psa 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

It is not ok to kill.

Luk 18:20 Thou knowest the commandments, Do not kill

Hell exists for everyone, even Jesus.

He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, Acts 2:30-32 (KJV)

Answer 6

What would happen to you if you accepted what Jesus said at

Rev 14: 3 And they are singing as if a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and the elders; and no one was able to master that song but the hundred and forty-four thousand, who have been bought from the earth.

Rev 5:9 And they sing a new song, saying: “You are worthy to take the scroll and open its seals, because you were slaughtered and with your blood you bought persons for God out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation, 10 and you made them to be a kingdom and priests to our God, and they are to rule as kings over the earth.”

as being the truth?

What would happen to you if you accepted what Jesus said at

Rev 19: 17 I saw also an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice and said to all the birds that fly in midheaven: “Come here, be gathered together to the great evening meal of God, 18 that YOU may eat the fleshy parts of kings and the fleshy parts of military commanders and the fleshy parts of strong men and the fleshy parts of horses and of those seated upon them, and the fleshy parts of all, of freemen as well as of slaves and of small ones and great.”

as being true?

What would happen to you if you accepted what Jesus said at

KJV Rev 20: 14And death and hell were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.

that hell is done away with?

Note: The true question is "Are we going to accept what the bible says, or what the Catholic Church and Plato teaches?"

As to Anna, What did Jesus say at Rev 3:2, 12?

Who is "the God of me" that Jesus tells us about?

Answer 7

An individual Jehovah's Witness makes his dedication and aligns himself with the faith based on the totality of his understanding of God's Word and the totality of his observations regarding this Christian Congregation.

(Zechariah 8:23) Jehovah of armies has said, ‘It will be in those days that ten men out of all the languages of the nations will take hold, yes, they will actually take hold of the skirt of a man who is a Jew, saying: “We will go with you people, for we have heard that God is with you people.”’”


Like the apostle Peter, many or most Witnesses may not fully understand every particularity of every single teaching. However, these individuals do recognize the overwhelming evidence that Jehovah's Witnesses are unique among Christians in regard to purity of worship (rejection of paganisms such as Easter and the trinity), glorification of God's name (see Matt 6:9,10), global preaching work by every active adherent (see Matt 28:19,20), and remarkable stewardship of Christ's "belongings" on earth (see Matt 24:45-48). Similarly, these individuals recognize that Jehovah's Witnesses have been uniquely blessed in the face of Nazism, Stalinism, Orthodoxism, and more than 70 U.S. Supreme Court cases with those who have 'framed mischief by law' (Ps 94:20, KJV).

(John 6:67-69) Jesus said to the twelve: “You do not want to go also, do you?” Simon Peter answered him: “Lord, whom shall we go away to? You have sayings of everlasting life; and we have believed and come to know that you are the Holy One of God.”

So, this question might have just as coherently asked how Peter should have acted if Jesus began to imitate the empty worship of the Pharisees. Would Peter reject that? What would be the consequences? Would Jesus disfellowship Peter?

But perhaps that would be viewed as a non-answer. Let's examine each of the theoretical "doctrines" proposed by this questioner...

3. Concerning the third point, Jehovah's Witnesses have never denied the existence of "hell", but only of hellfire (see Eccl 9:5,10).

2. Concerning the second point, it might be that in a few countries the quote-unquote "armed forces" handle routine administrative and regulatory activities (such as if in the USA the 'Army Corp of Engineers' began to oversee the functions of the 'EPA' or the 'TSA' baggage screeners). Such a designation might be recognized as semantic rather than a literal connection with warfare or nationalism. It seems remotely possible that this might be left to the individual conscience of a Christian Witness. This was apparently the case in the first century, where "military" men handled routine tax matters and so were among the disciples of John the Baptist (see Luke 3:12-14).

1. Concerning the first point, this also is untroubling, for Jehovah's Witnesses have never pretended that it is impossible for any Witness to "get to go to heaven". Instead, each individual Christian recognizes in his own heart where his hope is, and no human could ever question that (see 2 Cor 1:21-22).


To reiterate, Jehovah's Witnesses recognize the totality of "the truth", and do not obsess over some detail which may be put forth by troublemakers.

(Romans 16:17) Keep your eye on those who cause divisions and occasions for stumbling contrary to the teaching that you have learned, and avoid them.

(2 Corinthians 4:4-6) The god of this system of things has blinded the minds of the unbelievers

(Philippians 2:14-15) In among a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you are shining as illuminators in the world

(1 Timothy 6:3-5) If any man teaches other doctrine and does not assent to healthful words, those of our Lord Jesus Christ, nor to the teaching that accords with godly devotion, he is puffed up with pride, not understanding anything, but being mentally diseased over questionings and debates about words. From these things spring envy, strife, abusive speeches, wicked suspicions, violent disputes about trifles on the part of men corrupted in mind and despoiled of the truth

Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/20030301/article_01.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/20000622/article_03.htm

Answer 8

Nothing would surprise me...

#2 is the most interesting, because it HAS clearly happened....

"2) Its now OK to serve in the Armed Forces"

In 1996, there was a reversal of a long-held stance that "alternative" service was not allowed.

VOTING is technically now a CONSCIENCE ISSUE, (see links below) though I've never known a witness who would actually do it while trying to remain "in good standing."

The Malawi/Mexico incident of the late 1960s/early 1970s is the most telling event of their history in terms of their willingness to simultaneously promote opposite opinions. See link below.

In recent years, the Watchtower Society leadership has tried to "normalize" the outward appearance of the JW religion. To obtain legal recognition in some countries, they've had to declare that a witness who had a blood transfusion would not be disfellowshipped. That does not mean, of course, that such person wouldn't be unofficially shunned...

Then, of course, there's the issue I told Joyfilled about the other day... (see last link below). Essentially this is a Watchtower teaching from the October 15,1995 Watchtower where the Society brought out 'new light' that although Christ sat down as King in 1914, he did not sit down on his 'glorious throne' mentioned at Matt 25: 31 in that year. The problem with that is that they claim their authority as representatives of Christ on earth based almost exclusively on Matthew 24: 45-47, stating that between 1914-19 Jesus arrived and appointed the Watchtower Society as his faithful and discreet slave, as spoken of in Matthew 24: 45-47. Now compare Matt 24: 46, 46 with Matthew 25: 31

Matthew 24: 46, 47 reads: “Happy is that slave if his master on ARRIVING finds him doing so. Truly I say to you, He will appoint him over all his belongings.”

“Matt 25: 31 reads: “When the Son of man ARRIVES in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit down on his glorious throne.”

Once they published that Oct. 1995 "new light," they were really teaching that their own authority couldn't possibily have been given as they have been claiming for the past several decades because it has a FUTURE FULFILLMENT!

Do they actually point out that glaring error? Of course not! Would they have published the 1995 article if they'd figured out that part? Uh, no.

But have they removed the foundation of their own authority and thereby ALL their own teachings? Actually, yes.

AND FOR GOODNESS' SAKE, READ THE LINKS BELOW TO SEE THAT WHAT I'M SAYING IS TRUE.

Answer 9

Without question or shaddow of doubt, the very finest thing JW's could do would be to finally admit that heaven isn't limited to a miserable 144,000 souls. That way, at a single stroke, they would get rid of their two-tier reward system, based on salvation by works and FINALLY get hold of the true gosel mesage preached by Jesus. That way, EVERY JW would realise that they had to be in a covenant relationship with Jesus in order for his sacrificial blood to cover them. That way, they could stop listening to the Governing Body and tune into the Holy Spirit.

Getting a grip on the Biblical doctrine of Hell would wake them ALL up because they have become complacent. What's the worst thing that could possibly happen to me if I failed to be a "good" JW? Well, I can ignore whatever Jesus said about hell because it doesn't exist, right? Wrong! That might give them pause for thought.

I condem violence, and the Bible tells us that life is sacred. I would denounce any suggestion that it is all right to take life, unless it is in defence, and go with my conscience and answer to God on the final day of reckoning.

Any baptised JW would be disfellowshiped if s/he even suggested that any of the three doctrinal changes you suggested were Biblical. Why? Because the Governing Body say otherwise.

Given their history, if the Governing Body were to turn round and publish in the Watchtower magazine that they had received new light (revelation) and things had now changed, every single baptised, believing witness would clap their hands and go along with it. Why? Because the Boverning Body told them.

Cynical? Perhaps. I used to be one. And I know they have changed their doctrines over the last 100 plus years. Trouble is, the current JW's don't know the history, and they are discouraged from investigating. Poor, lost souls. Pray for them.

Answer 10

That IF, can't happen !!!

Some teachings as you say have changed because God doesn't give his light once for ever...there are things to be cl(a)erify...

As an example, you know that if you go from a dark place (that you where there for some time) to a very bright place you will have problem with your eyes.

That is why Jehovah doesn't give his light once, but in His own Time.