If i believed like a Jehovah Witness, but was not a Jehovah Witness, would i still go into the new system?

Question

any JW's that would care to answer that one?

Answer 1

You have to be a babtised witness and taken a stand for the truth. That is not taking a stand for the truth.
Either you are one or your not. There is not anyone who is just believes that way and it is enough. But you have taken the first step. Don't let anything get in the way of you continueing to study and make a dedication to God.

Answer 2

Noah’s contemporaries failed to appreciate that Noah had divine backing and was acting at God’s direction. So they did not take his preaching seriously and act on his warning message. What about today? Although many are impressed by the work and conduct of Jehovah’s Witnesses, most do not take the good news and the Bible’s warnings seriously. Neighbors, employers, or relatives may speak highly of the fine qualities of true Christians but then lament, “If only they were not Jehovah’s Witnesses!” What these observers overlook is that the Witnesses manifest such qualities as love, peace, kindness, goodness, mildness, and self-control because they are led by God’s holy spirit. (Galatians 5:22-25) This should add credibility to their message.

Answer 3

There is nothing new the Jehovah's witnesses give to the world... all religions are counter productive to the earth... the one thing that stands out about the witnesses is that when mother nature was examining the effect religions had on the earth she was so powerful she was thought of as god and accidentally became known as Jehovah... Mother Nature.. also known as the woman in the wilderness was so appalled of the effects religions had on earth she forbade any religion to be made in her name.... Mother Nature has the capacity to heal nature itself... and she organized it so as to separate it from the humans who continued to practise religion.. her power was such that she left an omen behind in the witnesses... which they still do not get... they have two weekly magazines... One the watchtower... that which is full of their religious dogma... as the tower of Babylon this will fall... and the other called AWAKE... full of nature's information.. with very little to no bible verses in it.. as if to say Wake Up this is the way... I hear since she left they might have begun to put bible verses in it... There is a time to learn of what is true and nature has been trying to work it out... but humans specifically those thumping bibles have become a nuisance on the earth... that is why today... the desserts are healing.. the plant life the waters.. the stones... the beast of all sorts.. the insects are healing but humans are getting sicker and sicker... without releif.. if there is one who is no respecter of humans it is she for she says they have never given the respect to nature that it deserves..... so it's destroy your religions or be destroyed..

Answer 4

Why would you think that the "New System" belongs only to Jehovah's Witness?

Answer 5

Why would you want to be Jehovah's Witness? The Bible records of hell and heaven are real!

Answer 6

He who speaks against a brother or judges his brother speaks against law and judges law. Now if you judge law, you are, not a doer of law, but a judge. One there is that is lawgiver [Gr., no·mo·the´tes] and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But you, who are you to be judging your neighbor?” James goes on to speak of those who bragged about what they would do in the future, as though they were independent of circumstances, instead of saying, “If Jehovah wills.” (Jas 4:11-16) James had spoken of “the kingly law,” “You must love your neighbor as yourself.” (Jas 2:8) These Christians, by failing to exhibit love for their neighbor, speaking against him instead, were, in effect, setting themselves up as judges of divine law, as lawgivers or lawmakers.
There is only one Judge.

Answer 7

most witnesses would tell you that you will die in Armageddon, but i don't think that way because Jehovah looks at everyones different circumstances, their heart. I think I wont make it, but i don't really care anymore

Answer 8

Honestly, I know for a fact that who the Almighty decides to bring back is His decision, not mine.

Answer 9

And they are thorough about it. They keep careful records so that they can call back to talk to any who were not at home. Not only that, but they make repeated calls at every home.

Because of the effectiveness of the house-to-house ministry, opposers in many lands have tried to stop it. In order to gain official respect for their right to preach from door to door, Jehovah’s Witnesses have appealed to government officials. Where necessary, they have gone to court in order to legally establish the right to spread the good news in this manner. (Phil. 1:7) And where repressive governments have persisted in forbidding such activity, Jehovah’s Witnesses have at times simply done it in a less conspicuous manner or, if necessary, used other means to reach people with the Kingdom message.

Although radio and television broadcasts have been used to spread the Kingdom message, Jehovah’s Witnesses recognize that the personal contact made possible by house-to-house calls is far more effective. It affords better opportunity to answer the questions of individual householders and to search out deserving ones. (Matt. 10:11) That is one of the reasons why, in 1957, the Watch Tower Society sold radio station WBBR in New York.

Having given a personal witness, however, Jehovah’s Witnesses do not feel that their job is done. It is just a beginning.

“Make Disciples . . . Teaching Them”

Jesus commanded his followers to do more than preach. In imitation of him, they are also to teach. (Matt. 11:1) Before his ascension to heaven, he instructed them: “Go therefore and make disciples of people of all the nations, . . . teaching them to observe all the things I have commanded you.” (Matt. 28:19, 20) Teaching (Greek, di·da′sko) differs from preaching in that the teacher does more than proclaim; he instructs, explains, offers proofs.

The Watch Tower, as early as April 1881, offered some brief suggestions on how to teach. Some of the early colporteurs made it a point to call again on those who showed interest, to encourage them to read the Society’s books and meet with others for regular study of God’s Word. The book The Harp of God (published in 1921) was often used for that purpose. Later on, however, even more was done in the way of giving personal attention to interested ones. Recorded Bible lectures along with printed study guides were prominently used in this activity. How did that come about?

Since early 1933, the Society had supplemented its radio broadcasts with recordings played on portable transcription equipment in meeting halls, in parks, at factory gates, and so forth. Within a short time, Witnesses who located interested persons when calling from house to house were making arrangements to return to play some of these recordings for them in their homes. When the book Riches became available in 1936, discussions from it were used, after the recordings, to establish studies that could be attended by interested ones in the area. This work was emphasized especially with a view to helping prospective members of the “great multitude” to learn the truth.—Rev. 7:9, KJ.

At about that time, the Catholic hierarchy stepped up its pressure on owners and managers of radio stations as well as government agencies in a determined effort to stop the broadcasting of Watch Tower programs. A petition signed by 2,630,000 persons in the United States requested a public debate between J. F. Rutherford and a high official of the Roman Catholic Church. None of the Catholic clergy were willing to accept the challenge. So, in 1937, Brother Rutherford made recordings entitled “Exposed” and “Religion and Christianity,” which presented basic Bible teachings, particularly in refutation of unscriptural Catholic doctrines. The same material was published in the booklets Protection and Uncovered, and a copy of Uncovered was personally delivered to everyone who had signed the petition so that the people could read for themselves the Bible truths that the Catholic hierarchy was seeking to suppress.

In order to help people to see the issues clearly and to examine the Scriptural basis for these, the booklet Model Study No. 1 was printed for use at meetings arranged for interested people. The booklet contained questions, answers, and scriptures in support of the answers given. First, the conductor would have one or more discs of the aforementioned recorded lectures played so that everyone could hear the overall argument. Then, discussion would follow, using the material provided in the Model Study booklet and examining the scriptures themselves. Model Study No. 1 was followed by Nos. 2 and 3, coordinated with other recorded discourses. Such studies were organized first at locations where groups of interested people could be gathered, but soon they were also being held with individuals and families.

Since that time many excellent books have been provided especially for use by Jehovah’s Witnesses in conducting home Bible studies. Those having the greatest circulation were “Let God Be True,” The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life, and You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth. There were also 32-page booklets—“This Good News of the Kingdom,” God’s Way Is Love, “Look! I Am Making All Things New,” and many others. These were followed by brochures such as Enjoy Life on Earth Forever!, which contains a very simple and easy-to-understand presentation of basic Bible teachings.

The use of these instruments, coupled with extensive congregational and personal training, has resulted in a dramatic increase in the number of home Bible studies being conducted. In 1950, home Bible studies, often conducted each week, averaged 234,952. Studies that did not make sufficient progress were dropped. Many students progressed to the point that they, in turn, became teachers. In spite of the constant turnover, the number has continued to rise, often quite rapidly. As of 1992, the Witnesses were conducting 4,278,127 home Bible studies worldwide.

In order to accomplish this vast work of preaching and teaching, in the languages of all the earth, Jehovah’s Witnesses have made extensive use of the printed page. This has required publishing operations of gigantic proportions.

[Footnotes]

The pastoral work was first organized during 1915-16 in the 500 or so congregations that had elected Brother Russell to be their pastor. As pastor, he had written a letter to them outlining the work, which was at first limited to the sisters. The following year brothers too were included in this activity. This pastoral work, carried on by a select group, continued until 1921.

That wording was based on the understanding that the term religion embraced all worship built on the traditions of men, instead of on God’s Word, the Bible. However, in 1950, when the New World Translation of the Christian Greek Scriptures was published, footnotes at Acts 26:5, Colossians 2:18, and James 1:26, 27 indicated that the term religion could properly be used to refer to true worship or false. This was further clarified in The Watchtower of March 15, 1951, page 191, and the book What Has Religion Done for Mankind?, pages 8-10.

Some street witnessing with the magazines had been done on a trial basis the preceding year, in California, U.S.A. Even as far back as 1926, the Bible Students had engaged in general street distribution of booklets containing important messages. Much earlier, in 1881, they had distributed literature near the churches on Sundays.

The Watchtower, May 15, 1981, pp. 12-16.

[Blurb on page 556]

Wherever he found people, Jesus talked about God’s purpose for humankind

[Box on page 559]

Special Blessing on Door-to-Door Work

“As at the first advent, work from door to door, instead of pulpit preaching, seems to be receiving the Lord’s special blessing.”—“Watch Tower,” July 15, 1892.

[Box on page 570]

Why the Witnesses Call Again and Again

Explaining why Jehovah’s Witnesses make repeated calls at every home, “The Watchtower” of July 1, 1962, said: “Circumstances keep changing. Today a man may not be at home, next time he may be. Today he may be too busy to listen, but the next time he may not be. Today one member of the family answers the door, the next time another member does; and the Witnesses are concerned with reaching not only every home in their assignments but also, if possible, each mature person in each home. Often families are divided as to religion, so it is not always possible for one member to speak for the entire family. Besides, people keep moving and so the Witnesses never can be certain as to just whom they will meet at a certain door.

“Not only do the circumstances change, but the people themselves change. . . . For just some trifle a man may have been out of sorts and not at all willing to discuss religion or anything else no matter who came to his door, but it does not at all follow that he will be of that mental attitude at another time. Or, just because a man was not at all interested in discussing religion last month does not mean he might not be this month. Since the last time a Witness called this man may have had a soul-harrowing experience or in some other way learned something that made him humble instead of proud, hungry and conscious of his spiritual need instead of self-satisfied.

“Besides, the message the Witnesses bring sounds strange to many persons and they fail to grasp its urgency. Only by hearing it again and again do they gradually get the point.”

[Box/Picture on page 574]

Using “Every Way Possible”

“Those of us inside the Lord’s organization have tried, in every way possible, to turn [the world’s] attention to the message of life. We have used slogans, full-page advertisements, radio, sound cars, portable phonographs, gigantic conventions, parades of information-walkers carrying signs, and a growing army of house-to-house ministers. This activity has served to divide people—those in favor of God’s established Kingdom on the one side, those against it on the other. This was the work foretold by Jesus for my generation.”—Written in 1987 by Melvin Sargent, at 91 years of age.

Answer 10

no

http://carm.org

Why would you want to be assosciated with a religion that is in direct disobedience to God?

Failed prophecies

The Watchtower Society has a long history of making prophecies and then changing them after they proved false. Dozens of references could be quoted and documented, but a few will suffice to prove the point.

For example, the 1920 booklet Millions Now Living Will Never Die, declares,

...we may expect 1925 to witness the return of these faithful men of Israel from the condition of death, being resurrected... Therefore we may confidently expect that 1925 will mark the return of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the faithful prophets of old. -- pages 89-90
This failed to come true, of course.

Starting in the mid-1960's numerous discussions in the Society's publications pointed to the year 1975:
This seventh day, God's rest day, has progressed nearly 6,000 years, and there is still the 1,000-year reign of Christ to go before its end. (Rev. 20:3, 7) This seventh 1,000-year period of human existence could well be likened to a great sabbath day. . . . In what year, then, would the first 6,000 years of man's existence and also the first 6,000 years of God's rest day come to an end? The year 1975. -- Awake! October 8, 1966, page 19

The August 15, 1968 Watchtower indicates that there might be a slight delay between the end of humanity's first six thousand years in autumn 1975 and the end of the world -- corresponding to the interval of time between Adam's creation and Eve's -- but assures that the delay will be only a few weeks or months, not years:
Are we to assume from this study that the battle of Armageddon will be all over by the autumn of 1975, and the long-looked-for thousand-year reign of Christ will begin by then? Possibly, but we wait to see how closely the seventh thousand-year period of man's existence coincides with the sabbathlike thousand-year reign of Christ. If these two periods run parallel with each other as to the calendar year, it will not be by mere chance or accident but will be according to Jehovah's loving and timely purposes....It may involve only a difference of weeks or months, not years." -- page 499

Such predictions led Jehovah's Witnesses to believe that the end would come toward the end of 1975 or early in 1976.

The most recent prophetic failure is likely to have the greatest impact on JWs: 'New truths' in the November 1, 1995 Watchtower magazine changed the beliefs of Jehovah's Witnesses concerning "the generation that saw the events of 1914," and the November 8, 1995 Awake! drops that magazine's long-standing prophecy.

Ever since the late 1940's Awake! magazine had been promising the "sure hope for the establishment of a righteous New World" on page 2 of each issue. Then in 1964 it added the thought that this would happen "in this generation" -- "...reflecting sure hope for the establishment of God's righteous new order in this generation."

In 1975 it was no longer Awake! magazine's promise but now became the Creator's promise: "...the Creator's promise of a new order of lasting peace and true security within our generation." -- January 8, 1975

It was a very serious step to add this expression, "the Creator's promise," since it meant that the Watchtower Society (the magazine's publisher) was now prophesying in the Creator's name -- in God's name. The Creator warns in the Bible against doing this without receiving a command from Him to do so:
But a prophet who presumes to speak in my name anything I have not commanded him to say, or a prophet who speaks in the name of other gods, must be put to death. You may say to yourselves, "How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the LORD?" If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him. -- Deuteronomy 18:20-22 NIV

Did the Creator really command the Society to say that He promised the new order would come "within our generation"? Elsewhere, the Society specified more precisely what it meant by "our generation":
"Jesus was obviously speaking about those who were old enough to witness with understanding what took place when the 'last days' began....Even if we presume that youngsters 15 years of age would be perceptive enough to realize the import of what happened in 1914, it would still make the youngest of 'this generation' nearly 70 years old today....Jesus said that the end of this wicked world would come before that generation passed away in death." -- Awake! October 8, 1968, pages 13-14
In 1982 the Watchtower Society changed the prophecy on page 2 of each Awake! issue to include the same thought about 1914. It was no longer a vague "our generation" that would see the world's end, but the generation that saw the events of 1914: "...the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure new order before the generation that saw the events of 1914 C.E. passes away." (January 8, 1982)

Nearly identical wording repeated the same prophecy in each issue until January 8, 1987, when Awake! magazine's statement of purpose was moved to page 4 in a redesigned format. Starting with that issue, the 1914 generation prophecy was dropped entirely. Then it was restored on page 4 of the March 8, 1988 issue -- "...the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure new world before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away" -- wording that continued to appear through October, 1995.

By then, however, the generation that saw the events of 1914 had largely passed away. All that remained were a relatively few surviving individuals in their late 90's -- people nearly a hundred years old.

Obviously, the prophecy had failed. Continuing to print it as spiritual food for Jehovah's Witnesses was like serving meat or milk long after the "sell before" date stamped on the package. Like spoiled food, the expired prophecy began to stink.

JW leaders in Brooklyn finally replaced it in the November 8, 1995 Awake! by returning to language similar to that used prior to 1964. Awake! now declares "...the Creator's promise of a peaceful and secure new world that is about to replace the present wicked, lawless system of things."

Actually the prophecy on page 4 of each Awake! is only the tip of the iceberg, so to speak. It is the most prominent part of a whole chronological system of Bible interpretation that has proved false.

This is the most noticeable revision, so far, in a process of changing beliefs that has only just begun. The October 15, 1995 Watchtower (pages 22-23) changes the Watchtower Society's interpretation of when Christ sits down to separate sheep from goats at Matthew 25:31-33.

It transforms this from a process that began when Christ allegedly returned invisibly and became king in 1914 to a future event associated with his judging mankind at the Battle of Armageddon.

The old teaching is presented clearly in the Society's 1982 book You Can Live Forever in Paradise on Earth (page 183 original edition):
Yes, since Christ returned and sat down on his heavenly throne, all humankind has been on judgment...During the present judgment people are being separated as "goats" to Christ's left hand or as "sheep" to his right.
The October 15, 1995 Watchtower (pages 22-23) rejects this interpretation and substitutes a new one:
Does this parable apply when Jesus sat down in kingly power in 1914, as we have long understood?... ...the parable points to the future when the Son of man will come in his glory. He will sit down to judge... Understanding the parable of the sheep and the goats in this way indicates that the rendering of judgment on the sheep and the goats is future. It will take place after "the tribulation" mentioned at Matthew 24:29, 30 breaks out and the Son of man 'arrives in his glory.'

The change introduced here is two-fold. The Society re-interprets Matthew 25:31-32 so that
(1) Christ's sitting down on his throne does not refer to his becoming king in 1914, as the Society has long taught. Instead, it refers to his sitting as judge during the future great tribulation.
(2) The separating of the sheep from the goats is also a future event -- even though JWs had long been taught that their preaching work was accomplishing that separation right now and throughout much of this century.

Even more significant is the 'new truth' introduced in the November 1, 1995 issue of The Watchtower. On pages 17-19 it changes the Society's interpretation of Jesus' words at Matthew 24:34, "I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened." (NIV)

On page 17 it admits that "Jehovah's people have at times speculated about the time when the 'great tribulation' would break out, even tying this to calculations of what is the lifetime of a generation since 1914." Now it says, instead (page 17):
Rather than providing a rule for measuring time, the term "generation" as used by Jesus refers principally to contemporary people of a certain historical period, with their identifying characteristics.
Then it goes on to identify the generation that Jesus supposedly pointed to at Matthew 24:34-35 in this way (page 19):
Therefore, in the final fulfillment of Jesus' prophecy today, "this generation" apparently refers to the peoples of earth who see the sign of Christ's presence but fail to mend their ways.
This new interpretation drops the thought that the world will end during the lifetime of the people who were alive to see the events of 1914. Instead, it has Jesus speaking of the "wicked generation" -- people who see the sign of his invisible presence but fail to become JWs -- with no time period attached.

BORED TO DEATH?
Yes, the info needed to reach JWs can be tedious. Think of it as comparable to learning Chinese to share the Gospel in China.

Was the recently abandoned teaching about the 1914 generation really a false prophecy spoken by a false prophet? Or was it merely an instance of faithful Christians manifesting eagerness for Christ's return?

Deuteronomy 18:20-22, quoted earlier, supplies the basis for determining the answer. It states that its words of condemnation apply when what a "prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true."

Obviously, the prediction did not come true, and so the Watchtower Society has now stopped making that prediction.

Was the prediction spoken "in the name of the LORD"? Yes, because it was introduced as "the Creator's promise."

The Watchtower has said elsewhere:
Those who are convinced that The Watchtower is publishing the opinion or expression of a man should not waste time in looking at it at all... Those who believe that God uses The Watchtower as a means of communicating to his people, or of calling attention to his prophecies, should study The Watchtower..." -- The Watchtower January 1, 1942, page 5
More recently, the Watchtower Society has tried to escape the "false prophet" label by saying Jehovah's Witnesses have not made prophecies in God's name. "Never did they say, 'These are the words of Jehovah.'" (Awake! March 22, 1993, p. 4)

But the Watchtower Society actually did describe its prediction that the 1914 generation would live to see 'the end' as Jehovah's prophetic word through Jesus Christ.
"Jehovah's prophetic word through Jesus Christ is: 'This generation [of 1914] will by no means pass away until all things occur.' (Luke 21:32) And Jehovah, who is the source of inspired and unfailing prophecy, will bring about the fulfillment...
...
"Just as Jesus' prophecies regarding Jerusalem were fulfilled within the life span of the generation of the year 33 C.E., so his prophecies regarding 'the time of the end' will be fulfilled within the life span of the generation of 1914. ...
"...Yes, you may live to see this promised New Order, along with survivors of the generation of 1914 -- the generation that will not pass away." -- The Watchtower May 15, 1984, pages 6-7 (The bracketed expression "[of 1914]" is in the original.)

So, the Watchtower Society fits the description of a false prophet found at Deuteronomy 18:20-22. The Society made the prediction in God's name, and the prediction failed to come true.

Was this false prophecy simply a one-time offense? No, because the prediction was published repeatedly over the years, not only in Awake! magazine's masthead, but also in other places -- sometimes even with minor variations which indicate that thought was given to the matter on a number of occasions:
"...the generation alive in 1914, some will see the major fulfilment of Christ Jesus' prophecy and the destruction..." -- Awake! October 8, 1973, page 19

"Which generation is this, and how long is it?... "Thus, when it comes to the application in our time, the 'generation' logically would not apply to babies born during World War I. It applies to Christ's followers and others who were able to observe that war and the other things that have occurred in fulfillment of Jesus' composite 'sign.' Some of such persons 'will by no means pass away until' all of what Christ prophesied occurs, including the end of the present wicked system." --The Watchtower Oct. 1, 1978, p. 31

"What, then, is the 'generation' that 'will by no means pass away until all these things occur"? It does not refer to a period of time, which some have tried to interpret as 30, 40, 70 or even 120 years, but, rather, it refers to people, the people living at the 'beginning of pangs of distress' for this condemned world system. It is the generation of people who saw the catastrophic events that broke forth in connection with World War I from 1914 onward. ...
"And if the wicked system of this world survived until the turn of the century, which is highly improbable in view of world trends and the fulfillment of Bible prophecy, there would still be survivors of the World War I generation. However, the fact that their number is dwindling is one more indication that the 'conclusion of the system of things' is moving fast toward its end. ...
"Yes, there was a generation of people that was living in 1914, and that saw the major historical changes...We can be happy, therefore, for Jesus' assurance that there will be survivors of 'the generation of 1914' -- that this generation will not have completely passed away -- when the 'great tribulation' rings down the curtain on this wicked world system." -- The Watchtower October 15, 1980, page 31

"Jesus used the word 'generation' many times in different settings and with various meanings. But what did he mean when he spoke of a "generation that would not pass away"? ...a generation is really related to people and events, rather than to a fixed number of years.
...
...the babies of that generation are now 70 years old or older. And others alive in 1914 are in their 80's or 90's, a few even having reached a hundred. There are still many millions of that generation alive. Some of them 'will by no means pass away until all things occur.'" -- The Watchtower May 15, 1984, page 5

Thus judgment would be executed sometime during the life span of people seeing the first evidence of the time period foretold by Jesus. ...this time period began in 1914. Thus before the 1914 generation completely dies out, God's judgment must be executed. -- The Watchtower May 1, 1985, page 4

"a peaceful and secure new world before the generation that saw the events of 1914 passes away" ... "The Hebrews...reckon seventy-five years as one generation...".
"...today, most of the generation of 1914 has passed away. ...Jesus' words will come true, 'this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things have happened.' This is yet another reason for believing that Jehovah's thieflike day is imminent." -- Awake! April 8, 1988, pages 4 and 14

In fact, this episode of making predictions concerning "the generation of 1914" was not the first time the Watchtower Society made such prophecies. Years before 1914, it published volume 4 of Studies in the Scriptures, in which it calculated a hundred-year "generation" stretching "from 1780, the date of the first sign" and including the
gathering time beginning October 1874; the organization of the Kingdom and the taking by our Lord of his great power as the King in April 1878, and the time of trouble or "day of wrath" which began October 1874 and will end October 1914 -- 1908 edition, page 604

Alternatively, it calculated the generation of Matthew 24:34 as spanning 36 1/2 years, "the 'generation' from 1878 to 1914." (page 605) Interestingly, the Society encountered similar problems back then as time limits ran out and prophecies proved false. The length of the "generation" was adjusted to accommodate later reinterpretations, in a manner similar to the recent adjustments during the 1970's-1990's. Thus, later editions of the same Studies in the Scriptures volume were reprinted with alterations in the dates. In the reference quoted above from page 604, for example, the words "will end October 1914" were changed to "will cease about 1915" in certain later editions.