Do you find reading religious books or magazines that have not been published by Watchtower, or other officially (directly, organisationally) associated publishing houses useful? If yes, in what way can they be useful at all?
2007-06-27
08:15:45
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9 answers
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asked by
sannaparis
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in
Society & Culture
➔ Religion & Spirituality
Can I specify: Do you read Non-watchtower Christian books? I think it is clear that JW will read general neutral books, or that they will "research" other religions, but would you ever read a book by a Christian author from a different denomination for YOUR OWN benefit?
2007-06-29
10:29:51 ·
update #1
Don't you hate how people thumb up answers just because they happen to agree - and not because they actually answer the question well. e.g.: in a legible, coherent way?
2007-06-29
10:45:32 ·
update #2
Yes, in the absence of the bible itself or other high-quality Christian literature, it is possible to derive some usefulness from low-quality Christian literature.
Anyone familiar with the life stories of Stanley Jones and Harold King knows that both of these Jehovah's Witness missionaries eagerly read any and all religious material that they came across during their decades of confinement in communist China. A good bible student (such as a Jehovah's Witness) can readily spot and sift out grains of golden bible truth even when they must be painstakingly picked out from among the worthless silt and gravel of pagan false worship and ungodly human tradition.
Once one begins to understand that Jehovah's Witnesses freely distribute beautiful nuggets of golden treasure (in hundreds of languages), however, it makes little sense to risk slipping on rocky streambeds of philosophy or risk drowning in cold waters of Christendom for what is overwhelmingly disappointing.
Learn more:
http://watchtower.org/e/current_topics.htm
http://watchtower.org/languages.htm
http://watchtower.org/e/publications/index.htm
2007-06-27 17:53:59
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answer #1
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answered by achtung_heiss 7
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Thanks for the information, I wish I could get these Watchtower Magazines so that I could go through them regularly. I have converted about a half a dozen of the local witnesses and they really don't like me there anymore. They have to exercise more and more control a time goes by. More and more there predictions are going by the wayside and the 1935 date of the end of the picking the 144,000 is ready to haunt them now and they are gearing up for this change, so they are working to set up their congregation for the changes. Question It All has hit the nail on the head. They are a high control group and they are stealing the souls of many good people. 2 Corinthians 11:3,4 But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent's cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. 4 For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough This verse fits them so well, they preach a different Jesus (Michael the Archangel) and they teach and preach a different Gospel. We know that that they put up with it easily enough that they go out and defend this doctrine so venomously.
2016-04-01 07:47:24
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answer #2
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answered by Anonymous
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The truth is that Lemming Princess is spouting ignorance and error and it is her comments that are "ad nauseam." Especially the nauseous part.
If Jehovah's Witnesses were disfellowshipped for reading non-Watchtower books, everybody at the World Headquarters would be disfellowshipped. All the Writing Committee would be disfellowshipped. Because Jehovah's Witnesses are continually researching material from non-Witness publications.
There are many books and magazines that deal with topics from a neutral perspective, or with archaeology or chronology that are useful to Jehovah's Witnesses.
However, many of us have already come out from other religions, and have no further need to read the literature of other religions. We have already seen the distinction between what is religous truth and what is religious falsehood, and have made the conscious choice to follow the truth.
2007-06-29 02:16:24
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answer #3
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answered by בַר אֱנָשׁ (bar_enosh) 6
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Actually, I love to read the Watchtower and Awake magazines because they are the best religious magazines in the whole wide world. They are informative, simple, direct, clear and there are a lot of scriptural references to support what is being printed.
Other 'Non-Watchtower books' may catch a glimpse from me but I don't spend time reading them because they have nothing much to say about how to worship the only true and living God whose name is Jehovah.—Psalm 83:18.
2007-06-29 02:13:44
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answer #4
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answered by CareerPrince23 3
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One of the reasons I am in the truth today is because of a Non Witness pamplet. It was published by the Moody Publishing Company.
It contained 4 columns,
'What the bible teaches'
'What the Witnesses teach'
'What the Mormons teach'
'List of scriptures' was in the fourth column.
When I looked up the scriptures and read the context,
The scriptures proved what the Witnesses believed.
I have always wondered how many people just read the scripture referenced and never bothered to read the context.
According to Biblegateway.com in order to understand
Col 1:15 you have apply Plato and Greek philosophy. And yet Col 2:8 says to avoid philosophies of men.
Do I find this information useful? Not really.
I can't believe people say JW's are blind and brainwashed.
2007-06-27 15:58:06
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answer #5
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answered by TeeM 7
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I only been studding for a year and before that I read ever thing there is about Religion and found that Jw's know the truth, and I watch and observe them and others I was brought up in the baptist faith and when i ask to meaning ?'s i was consider a trouble maker for example I was Baptist at 14 and was as to pay my ties I ask the mister why I have no money he said you get allowance from your parents right I said No, my mother and father don't even attend church he simple said you give money to Jesus or you won't be bless, I felt this was wrong and I never step foot in other church again!!! So i feel that Jw's now God and god knows them and continuing blessing them
2007-06-28 14:08:44
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answer #6
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answered by lydia 3
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MANY Times the Watchtower and Awake Magazines will quote from NON Watchtower Publications 2 PROVE A POINT; AS LONG as that Point is ACCURATE.
2007-06-27 10:25:11
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answer #7
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answered by . 7
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The Truth is that they can be excommunicated for reading non Witness approved material....Walter Martins book "Kingdom of the Cults" ...Is one of the many literary works that will get yo booted out of the WBTS....
Then they put a label of "apostate" on you and NO other Jehovah's Witness is allowed to speak to you of else they can get excommunicated...ans so on and so forth ad-nauseum.
2007-06-28 03:34:12
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answer #8
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answered by Anonymous
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I find "non- watchtower" books more informative and uplifting than ANY WBTS publication.
2007-06-28 03:25:00
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answer #9
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answered by Carol D 5
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