Jehovah's Witnesses..You know this story in the Bible, I am certain..but from reading many of your answers..

Question

your faith appears to be very Self Righteous..What are you thoughts on this Bible story in comparison to people of your faith?
Luke 18:9-14
To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everybody else, Jesus told this parable: "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other men--robbers, evildoers, adulterers--or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.' "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.' "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted."

For those who are answering ..thanks. I know about this religion and their feelings, because I was one for over 35 years. I know the self righteousness that they feel..They feel they are loved by God more than anyone else..One of your main contributors admitted that here recently. I do understand defending your faith..I would have done the same years ago when I was in this religion.

Wow..You guys ..Moises and Tee..how well you prove my point.
Do you not realize that Jesus rebuke such ones as this..He didn't rebuke the humble sinners..Just the self righteous ones.
You two, both gave very disturbing answers..Just because I know HOW I felt and thought and others when I was a JW's..why compare me to Satan? I think Jesus would rebuke you right now if he were here.

Tee..These scriptures that you quote about boasting..If you would read them and meditate on them..these are talking about boasting about the Lord..Not about your religion..I will boast about our Lord all day long..the beautiful things he did for us..You are taking these out of context.

Xyleisha ..OH my..I can't believe you are saying I am slanding JW's..This is wrong..You now call me an apostate? How dare you..what gives you that right.? You know..I have NEVER called your religion a cult or any negative words such as that..But, you guys will not hesitate to call other names..

Answer 1

I am so glad you brought this out. I am a witness myself, but It really irritates me to see the attitude displayed by some of the witnesses on YA.

It is one thing to try to defend your beliefs but it is an entirely differently to exalt your beliefs above others, especially when their is no sound basis for it.

But, when you really think about it this attitude is a direct reflection of the ORGANIZATION. The organization places itself above all other religions and teaches that no salvation comes by any other means.

Although this is what I am taught. I DO NOT AGREE!!

(Romans 3:4) . . .let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, . . .

The scripture you quoted clearly shows that God does not approve of this attitude and when what I am taught clearly disagrees with the bible. I follow the bible.

This is a bit of what society has to say about that scripture..

*** lr chap. 21 p. 113 Should We Brag About Anything? ***

"the Pharisees were religious teachers, who often acted as if they were more righteous or holier than other people."

So, to my fellow Jehovah's Witnesses, are you acting like Pharisees?

Answer 2

You say you "were one for over 35 years".... and now you're attempting to slander Jehovah's people. That makes you an apostate and after this post I will have nothing more to say to you.
Is that being self-righteous? No, because I am obeying the Bible's counsel as well as listening to direction from those taking the lead among Jehovah's Witnesses:

"When a man in Corinth was unrepentantly immoral, Paul told the congregation: “Quit mixing in company with anyone called a brother that is a fornicator or a greedy person or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man.” (1 Corinthians 5:11-13) The same was to occur with apostates, such as Hymenaeus: “As for a man that promotes a sect, reject him after a first and a second admonition; knowing that such a man has been turned out of the way and is sinning.” (Titus 3:10, 11; 1 Timothy 1:19, 20) Such shunning would be appropriate, too, for anyone who rejects the congregation: “They went out from us, but they were not of our sort; for if they had been of our sort, they would have remained with us. But they went out that it might be shown up that not all are of our sort.”—1 John 2:18, 19.
6 Hopefully, such a one will repent so that he can be accepted back. (Acts 3:19)" (April 15, 1988 WT)

Which brings me to another point of great concern. Anyone who claims to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses will NEVER say they do not accept what they're being taught. That one is either unbaptized, or a minor who has not made their parents beliefs their own. If they have been baptized then that one is an "oppressive wolf" as mentioned at Acts 20:29, 30: "I know that after my going away oppressive wolves will enter in among YOU and will not treat the flock with tenderness, 30 and from among YOU yourselves men will rise and speak twisted things to draw away the disciples after themselves." and is in fact an apostate even though they have not been expelled from the congregation because the truth has not yet been revealed about them to others.

Self righteous? 1 Corinthians 1:31 says "that it may be just as it is written: “He that boasts, let him boast in Jehovah.”"
We are not to be prideful of our own abilities and knowledge remembering that pride comes always before the fall. And neither do we exalt ourselves above those who do not share our beliefs. Jehovah calls people of all faiths to worship him in truth and accurate knowledge. Everyone needs help understanding the deep things of God.
But we do not tolerate false brothers.

Answer 3

So because you were JWs 35 years and now you are "free" means that you are right?

Oh interesting point of view , I think that if we ask Satan that spent a long time in heaven before casted out to earth he would say the same "I was billions of years with the opressive God and Now I am free!!!"

By the way, it is false that Jesus Chirst will rule the earth after Armageddon and transform it in a paradise full of perfect humans?

Can you prove me if that is false with the bible? cause all religion say this is false except Jehovah´s witnesses if this is false then we are lying and the rest are telling the tru but other wise if this is true then the rest are telling something worng.

Answer 4

That's a very nice Bible text that you gave.About JWs being self righteous, you are entitled to your own opinion, although I disagree.

When people here attacks JWs, JWs response is to defend our Bible based faith. Anyone, even you, would even defend your own faith but it doesn't mean that you are self righteous.

If JWs have given very good reasons about our Christian faith, it doesn't mean that we are self righteous.

It is also natural human response to be irritated when people calls you different derogatory names < (cult, murderer, etc) . That doesn't mean that you are self righteous.

The JWs have corrected their wrong doctrines and I think that is a sign of humility.

I've been with about 10 congregations because I move a lot, and in about 500 JWs that I met, I have encountered 2 people who are in my opinion are self righteous, but guess what, Jehovah taught them some lessons in a very loving way. I learned patience too dealing with those 2 people.

Answer 5

(1 Corinthians 1:30-31) . . .is due to him that YOU are in union with Christ Jesus, who has become to us wisdom from God, also righteousness and sanctification and release by ransom; 31 that it may be just as it is written: “He that boasts, let him boast in Jehovah.”

(2 Corinthians 1:12-14) 12 For the thing we boast of is this, to which our conscience bears witness, that with holiness and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom but with God’s undeserved kindness, we have conducted ourselves in the world, but more especially toward YOU. 13 For we are really not writing YOU things except those which YOU well know or also recognize; and which I hope YOU will continue to recognize to the end, 14 just as YOU have also recognized, to an extent, that we are a cause for YOU to boast, just as YOU will also be for us in the day of our Lord Jesus.

(2 Corinthians 7:14-16) 14 For if I have made any boast to him about YOU, I have not been put to shame; but as we have spoken all things to YOU in truth, so also our boasting before Titus has proved to be true. 15 Also, his tender affections are more abundant toward YOU, while he calls to mind the obedience of all of YOU, how YOU received him with fear and trembling. 16 I rejoice that in every way I may have good courage by reason of YOU.

(2 Corinthians 10:7-8) . . .. 8 For even if I should boast a bit too much about the authority that the Lord gave us to build YOU up and not to tear YOU down, I would not be put to shame,

(2 Corinthians 10:13) 13 For our part we will boast, not outside our assigned boundaries, but according to the boundary of the territory that God apportioned to us by measure, making it reach even as far as YOU.

(2 Corinthians 10:16-18) . . .. 17 “But he that boasts, let him boast in Jehovah.” 18 For not the one who recommends himself is approved, but the man whom Jehovah recommends.

(2 Corinthians 11:16-18) 16 I say again, Let no man think I am unreasonable. Still, if YOU really do, accept me even if as unreasonable, that I too may do some little boasting. 17 What I speak I speak, not after the Lord’s example, but as in unreasonableness, in this cocksureness peculiar to boasting. 18 Since many are boasting according to the flesh, I too will boast.

As you can see not all boasting is wrong.

Yet only Jesus was able to do it correctly 100% of the time.

Even your question could be said to border on the wrong side of Luke 18.

Aren't you saying in effect,

"I am glad I'm not like Jehovah Witnesses!"

.

Answer 6

Am I to understand from the 7th answer that the prophesy in Zephaniah will have its ultimate fulfilment in Jehovah's Witnesses? Or have I misunderstood?

The original prophesy had fulfilment circa 600 BC when the nation of Israel was taken into captivity by the Babylonians. Do Jehovah's Witnesses believe that 'the remnant of Israel [who] will do no wrong, nor will deceit be found in their mouths' applies to themselves?

I notice the source claims to be from 1st, 20th and 21st century anointed Christians that make up the bride of Christ. So that would be the 144,000, would it? And 'the remnant' would be the few Jehovah's Witnesses around now who partake of the bread and wine, who are in the new covenant, who are fully anointed by the Holy Spirit? No-one else?

Because if that is the case, then the exclusivity of this prophesy is breathtaking in its assumption that God's mercy is to be confined to so tiny a population of earth's inhabitants, past and present. Please tell me I've got this wrong.

Answer 7

What's funny about this question is that we talked about this specific story last night at my RCIA class.

I am not a JW, but I have a friend who is.... she has never talked about her faith or said anything remotely similar to believing that everyone else is wrong and she is right

Answer 8

Couldn't have said it better myself. As an ex JW I sometimes look back and am appalled at the smug, self righteous attitiude I conveyed. I rarely remember feeling humble before God but content in the 'knowledge' that I had the 'truth'. I was just like that pharisee. Now I am free I can look back in horror and beg God to forgive me. Many JW's will tell you that they are not self righteous, and true, some are not, but most of those I knew wallowed in self righteousness. I pray daily that the Holy Spirit will show them the truth, just as it did me and they too can become more like the tax collector than the pharisee.

Answer 9

The fulfillment of the prophecy in the 3rd chapter of Zephaniah, about speaking a pure language of truth, the context shows that God does not bring about the needed change until the tribulation commences.

It plainly says that we should stay in expectation "till the day of my rising up to the booty," and that "then" is when the change to a pure language is to take place.

The prophecy goes on to foretell that God will ultimately forgive his people their many transgressions and purge his congregation of the arrogant ones in our midst. Verse 11b foretells: "For then I shall remove from the midst of you your haughtily exultant ones; and you will never again be haughty in my holy mountain."

Reasoning on the above verse: If the "haughtily exultant ones" are prominent men in the midst of God's people, so that their removal permanently cleanses the realm of God's kingdom of their corrupting influence, it should be obvious that not only is that judgment in our immediate future, but that it will effect a top-down purge of those who may presently be esteemed as pillars.

The judgment that awaits us will instill in us the fear of Jehovah, and true humility, that God requires of those to whom he is going to give the new world of his promise.

The next verses in Zephaniah make that even more evident. They read: "And I shall let remain in the midst of you a people humble and lowly, and they will actually take refuge in the name of Jehovah. As regards the remaining ones of Israel, they will do no unrighteousness nor speak a lie, nor will there be found in their mouths a tricky tongue..."

Answer 10

What can I say? You are entitled to your own opinion.

Have a lovely day!!!