Andrew

greybeard on Monday July 23rd, 2012

John 14:6 – “Jesus said to him: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus is the way to the Father. This means he is mediator and High Priest for all humankind who have faith in him. 1 Tim. 2:5 – “For there is […]

Continue reading about The Organization: the Way, the Truth, and the Life? (Re-post)

andrew on Tuesday March 13th, 2012

The definition of dogmatism according to dictionary.com is: unfounded positiveness in matters of opinion; arrogant assertion of opinions as truths.

Many of us have been victims of dogmatism and in turn practiced dogmatism when we were asleep JWs. We all recognize the dogmatism that characterizes Watchtower statements. Occasionally the Society says there is no need to be dogmatic about certain matters, but the fact is the org. is dogmatic on almost all issues.

For instance, for years the organization has dogmatically insisted that Jesus died on an upright torture stake and not a cross. But can they or anyone be sure of the shape of the instrument that Jesus died on? For that matter is it that important that the stake did not have a cross beam? Even when I was an asleep JW I often wondered why the Society had to be dogmatic on certain unclear issues.

Continue reading about Watchtower Dogmatism: Are We Still Affected?

andrew on Sunday February 5th, 2012

The organization that we were a part of has a definite structure of rules. Many of these rules go “beyond the things written” (1 Corinthians 4:6). It must be admitted that this structure helped some spiritually immature ones avoid some harmful things. However, the same structure stunted the growth of our conscience. Many of the […]

Continue reading about Spiritual Adulthood

andrew on Monday January 16th, 2012

Ecclesiastes 3:1 “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven”

Many of us who have woken up to the true nature of the organization have a spouse who is still a true believer in the organization’s claim of being God’s one true channel. We may have tried almost everything to try to wake up our spouse to the truth. We’ve tried showing how many false prophecies the org. has made, how it was impossible that in 1918 the organization was chosen by God, how many procedures and teachings of the org. are unbiblical, all to no avail. Personally I’ve tried these things and tried to convince my wife to do an investigation so she would be able to make an informed decision. But my spouse and perhaps your spouse as well continues to put full confidence in the organization. What do we do?

Continue reading about A Time For Everything

andrew on Sunday December 11th, 2011

Perhaps you have seen the large sign on one of the buildings of the world headquarters of the Jehovah’s Witnesses “Read God’s Word the Holy Bible Daily”. Without doubt this is good advice. And it is true that the organization does encourage bible reading. However this good advice is counteracted by discouraging deep bible study […]

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andrew on Thursday November 10th, 2011

Since I know this will be a controversial article let me start off by saying that this is only my opinion on what I feel the bible teaches about the Old Testament promises to Israel. Most of the Jews of the first century A.D. did not recognize Jesus as the Messiah mainly because they misunderstood […]

Continue reading about Modern Israel: God’s Chosen People?

andrew on Tuesday November 1st, 2011

As any JW male can attest to, there exists a pressure to “climb the theocratic ladder”. At first a JW brother is given small responsibilities like carrying mics. If he is responsible he is given bigger responsibilities until he is appointed as a ministerial servant and then an elder. Then as an elder he is encouraged […]

Continue reading about The Humble Will Be Exalted

andrew on Saturday September 24th, 2011

Daniel was a servant of God known for integrity. What is integrity? Definition: The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles; moral uprightness.

Wikipedia says this about integrity: Integrity is a concept of consistency of actions, values, methods, measures, principles, expectations, and outcomes. In ethics, integrity is regarded as the honesty and truthfulness or accuracy of one’s actions. Integrity can be regarded as the opposite of hypocrisy,[1] in that it regards internal consistency as a virtue, and suggests that parties holding apparently conflicting values should account for the discrepancy or alter their beliefs.

Integrity is the opposite of duplicity and hypocrisy.

Duplicity: contradictory doubleness of thought, speech, or action; especially : the belying of one’s true intentions by deceptive words or action.

Continue reading about The Fight For Integrity

andrew on Thursday September 8th, 2011

Recently we discussed the meaning of Jesus’ words “this generation” in Matthew 24:34 here. Are there more texts in the Greek Scriptures that would seem to indicate that the end, conclusion of the system of things, coming of Jesus etc. would happen in the first century? I have made a partial list of a few of […]

Continue reading about Which Generation? part 2

andrew on Monday September 5th, 2011

You may have heard the expression “Where’s the beef?” It is a phrase that questions the substance of an idea, event, or product. The Watchtower of 1956, June 1 page 346 paragraph 11 entitled “Keep Pace by Conforming to Theocratic Requirements” said this: Since the “faithful and discreet slave” has been entrusted with all the […]

Continue reading about Where’s The Beef?

andrew on Friday August 26th, 2011

What generation was Jesus talking about when he said in Matthew 24:34 – “I assure you: This generation will certainly not pass away until all these things take place.”? I think one thing we will all agree on is that he was not talking about the generation of 1914 or the next overlapping generation. It […]

Continue reading about Which Generation?

andrew on Friday August 5th, 2011

When a JW awakens he soon becomes aware of the vast number of false prophecies that the Watchtower society has given. Recently that topic was addressed on the post  http://www.jwstruggle.com/2011/06/a-review-of-the-societys-prophetic-record/ The scripture in Deuteronomy 18:20-22 is familiar to most of us which lets us know how to identify a false prophet and a true prophet. […]

Continue reading about Hananiah Shemaiah And The Watchtower Society

andrew on Monday July 18th, 2011

A saying perhaps we have heard is “There are no atheists in foxholes”. It basically means that under extreme duress or when facing an extreme threat the human tendency is to look to a higher power, to look beyond ourselves. When faced with situations that are more than we can handle oftentimes we are changed […]

Continue reading about There Are No Atheists In Foxholes

andrew on Saturday July 2nd, 2011

This was the theme of the Watchtower study for June 20-26 2011. Throughout the study the importance of allowing God’s spirit to lead us is emphasized. Notice parr. 2 and 3: 2 Does holy spirit operate only on special occasions or under extraordinary circumstances? No. God’s Word speaks of Christians’ “walking by spirit,” “being led […]

Continue reading about Are You Allowing God’s Spirit To Lead You?

andrew on Thursday June 30th, 2011

What are some of the results of following the Watchtower organization in all things and “keeping up with Jehovah’s celestial chariot”? The Watchtower society feels it has the right to establish rules on conscience and decide on matters which the bible is silent. One of these matters is blood transfusions. When the Society decided to […]

Continue reading about The Fruitage of Watchtower Policies

andrew on Friday June 24th, 2011

Does the Society claim to be a prophet? Let’s see a few quotes:

*** w59 1/15 p. 39 pars. 7-8 Down with the Old—Up with the New! ***

For an answer, people should listen to the plain preaching by the remnant prefigured by Jeremiah, for these preach to men the present-day fulfillment of Jeremiah’s prophecies. 8 Who made them a prophet to speak with the authority that they claim? Well, who made Jeremiah a prophet?

*** w59 1/15 p. 40 par. 13 Down with the Old—Up with the New! ***

Do all the clergy of Roman Catholicism and of Protestantism agree that Jehovah’s witnesses have been and are God’s prophet to the nations? but, Who discerned the divine will for Christians in this time of the world’s end and offered themselves to do it? Who have undertaken God’s foreordained work for this day of judgment of the nations? Who have answered the call to the work and have done it down till this year 1958? Whom has God actually used as his prophet?

Continue reading about A Review of the Society’s Prophetic Record

andrew on Sunday June 12th, 2011

  This was the JW position on excommunicating as of 1947:   This article shows that the Watchtower society thought excommunication was unbiblical. It finds “no support in these scriptures” and is “foreign to Bible teachings”. A change happened in the fifties regarding this view of shunning. Notice these cites from 1970: *** w70 6/1 […]

Continue reading about Changes on Treatment of Disfellowshipped Ones

andrew on Saturday June 4th, 2011

The main scripture that is used for the shunning of disfellowshipped people is this passage at 1 Corinthians 5:9-13 “9 In my letter I wrote YOU to quit mixing in company with fornicators, 10 not [meaning] entirely with the fornicators of this world or the greedy persons and extortioners or idolaters. Otherwise, YOU would actually […]

Continue reading about A Balanced View of 1 Corinthians 5:9-13

andrew on Sunday May 29th, 2011

Many of us are in a similar situation in that our spouses are blind to the “truth about the truth”. Very often they refuse to even investigate and consider the possibility that the Watchtower org. is not God’s chosen channel. How can we break through to them? How can we get them to do an […]

Continue reading about Reaching the Heart of Our Loved Ones

andrew on Sunday May 22nd, 2011

Considering the context of a bible verse is essential to correctly interpret it’s meaning. We need to consider things such as: Who wrote the book? To whom was it directed? What was going on at the time it was written? What was the culture of the writer and his audience? What is the topic being […]

Continue reading about The Importance of Context

Picture yourself as an Israelite living a few years after King Solomon has died. You live in the northern part of the promised land and now you are part of a separate nation with King Jeroboam as your king. You want to worship Jehovah and you know that He appointed Jeroboam to be king over […]

Continue reading about Just Following Orders – A Message For an Awakening Jehovah’s Witness

andrew on Tuesday May 10th, 2011

There are a few indications that one of the problems of the beliefs of the JWs is that too much emphasis is put on the Hebrew Scriptures. It is true that all scripture is beneficial, but when Jesus came to the earth many things changed and I feel that in some ways JWs are still stuck in the Hebrew Scriptures.

Continue reading about What Part of the Bible Deserves Priority?

andrew on Friday May 6th, 2011

Many of us probably have faced this question in the field ministry when we were Jehovah’s Witnesses. If you were like me you probably denied being born again. Now that we realize that the Society hasn’t been correct on many things, what does the bible teach on who is born again? Are only a few […]

Continue reading about Are You Born Again?

andrew on Sunday May 1st, 2011

Throughout all human history men have fought and died for freedom, political freedom, economic freedom, and spiritual freedom. We as Christians are especially interested in spiritual freedom. Most of us have belonged to an authoritative religion that permits little in the way of Christian freedom. It is something some of us are starting to experience […]

Continue reading about Legalism or Christian Freedom

andrew on Thursday April 28th, 2011

John 14:6 – “Jesus said to him: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” Jesus is the way to the Father. This means he is mediator and High Priest for all humankind who have faith in him. 1 Tim. 2:5 – “For there is […]

Continue reading about The Organization: the Way, the Truth, and the Life?

andrew on Tuesday April 19th, 2011

On Sunday, April 3 2011 the article “Empowered to Overcome Any Trial” was studied. Notice paragraphs 10-12: 10 Some young ones might face a dilemma if they learn that a friend has engaged in unscriptural conduct. They may feel that seeking spiritual help for their friend would violate an unwritten code of silence; therefore, they […]

Continue reading about Should I Inform the Elders?

andrew on Saturday April 16th, 2011

Our Heavenly Father, we approach you with deeply grateful hearts for everything that you are and everything you have done for us. We praise your great Name and your wonderful qualities. We praise also your Son and our Redeemer, Jesus. On Sunday evening we will be remembering in a special way all that  You and […]

Continue reading about A Prayer on the Eve of the Lord’s Evening Meal

andrew on Tuesday April 12th, 2011

As most or all readers know the organization of Jehovah’s Witnesses makes a long list of beliefs that are mandatory. They say that if someone rejects one or more of these so-called mandatory beliefs his or her eternal life is in jeopardy since they are all salvation issues. For instance, in the last meeting that […]

Continue reading about Salvation Issue or Not

andrew on Sunday April 10th, 2011

More and more JWs are starting to be faced with a difficult decision. They have found out about or suspect the falsehood of a number of doctrines that the Society claims are “salvation issues”. Some may think “where else would I go?” Really, to gain Christ’s approval there is not a place or an organization […]

Continue reading about If the Decision Is to Stay

andrew on Sunday April 3rd, 2011

Denial and Isolation. At first, we tend to deny the loss has taken place, and may withdraw from our usual social contacts. This stage may last a few moments, or longer. Anger. The grieving person may then be furious at the person who inflicted the hurt (even if she’s dead), or at the world, for […]

Continue reading about Five Stages of Grief

andrew on Monday March 28th, 2011

From the very founding of Christianity in the first century the heavenly hope has been the only hope of every Christian. Did any writer of the Greek scriptures hold out any other hope? If this has been the hope of Christians, when did it change to a hope of living on earth forever? Even Jehovah’s […]

Continue reading about Our Wonderful Hope part 2

andrew on Friday March 25th, 2011

In the previous post “What is a Christians Hope? Heaven or Earth” I made the case that the only hope for Christians was the heavenly one. The post also explained why it is reasonable to place the great crowd in heaven. This post will continue the topic of our hope. As Christians we all have […]

Continue reading about Our Wonderful Hope

andrew on Sunday March 20th, 2011

The Watchtower Society makes the claim that sonship is offered at this time only to a few thousand Christians. It is theorized that the rest only are offered friendship to God on the basis of their association with the sons of God. Is this true? I would encourage all readers to carefully evaluate Romans chap. […]

Continue reading about Are All Christians Sons of God?

andrew on Wednesday March 16th, 2011

“When religion rather than the person of Christ becomes central in our lives, we substitute Pharisaism for Christianity. Religion is central when that to which we are passionately committed is our manner of worship, our theological belief system, our form of piety or our particular religious experience. We then proselytize rather than evangelize. To proselytize […]

Continue reading about Evangelists or Proselytizers?

andrew on Friday March 11th, 2011

Many Jehovah’s Witnesses upon finding that the “truth” wasn’t as true as they thought find themselves spiritually disorientated. They may not know what to believe. As a JW they perhaps thought of themselves as spiritually mature, but now have been disabused of that idea. The Society talks often about the need to advance to spiritual […]

Continue reading about Christian Maturity

andrew on Wednesday March 2nd, 2011

I found this list on biblicaltruthseekers.co.uk  Hope you enjoy. TRAITS OF ABUSIVE CHURCHES AND ORGANIZATIONS • Control-orientated, arrogantly assertive, power-posturing leadership. • Authoritarian and legalistic with dictatorial, dogmatic unproven doctrines that are proclaimed to be ‘the Truth’. • Claims of being the channel of communication between God and mankind; having unique knowledge that makes them […]

Continue reading about Characteristics of Extreme Cults

andrew on Saturday February 26th, 2011

One great problem for Christianity is sectarianism. What is it? It is an adherence to a dogmatic set of beliefs and practices while believing that any other person that fails to adhere to the same dogma is condemned and a false Christian

Continue reading about Sectarianism and Jehovah’s Witnesses

andrew on Wednesday February 23rd, 2011

Jesus told the religious leaders of his day the following “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the seat of Moses. 3 Therefore all the things they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds, for they say but do not perform. 4 They bind up heavy loads […]

Continue reading about Presumptuousness and the Governing Body

andrew on Sunday February 20th, 2011

The Watchtower organization has for years taught that Jesus is the archangel Michael. Are they correct in this teaching? Let me start off with saying that it is impossible to say for sure or not, because the bible simply is not totally clear on this subject. As a JW in the past I have defended on several occasions the Society’s teaching that Jesus is in fact Michael. However after examining the bible and other commentaries on the bible, I have to say that now I am leaning the other way. I don’t think the Society is right on this teaching.

Continue reading about Is Jesus Michael the archangel?

andrew on Sunday February 13th, 2011

A few years ago I decided to purchase a handgun to have as protection in the home. Before doing so I looked up information in the publications and found the 1983 Watchtower 7/15. Notice a few of the comments it makes in the article “Seek Peace and Persue It”

Continue reading about Christians and Self-Defense

andrew on Wednesday February 2nd, 2011

Jehovah’s Witnesses believe they are already speaking the pure language. This text comes from Zephaniah chap 3 vs.9. This chapter talks about a restoration of a remnant of Israel. Notice how well ancient Jerusalem pictures the totality of all Christian denominations in vs 2-4 “She has not obeyed; she has not accepted discipline. She has not trusted in Yahweh; she has not drawn near to her God. 3 The princes within her are roaring lions; her judges are wolves of the night, which leave nothing for the morning. 4 Her prophets are reckless- treacherous men. Her priests profane the sanctuary; they do violence to instruction.”

Continue reading about The Pure Language and the 144000

andrew on Saturday January 29th, 2011

The Pharisees of Jesus’ day were truly students of scripture. They knew the scriptures backward and forward. They had great respect for the law and scripture. This was no mere intellectual interest, they wanted to obey every detail of the law to the letter. We could say they were doctrinal experts. They were also zealous […]

Continue reading about I Want Mercy Not Sacrifice

andrew on Wednesday January 26th, 2011

Where will we as christians spend eternity? In heaven or on earth?

Continue reading about What is a Christians Hope? Heaven or Earth?

andrew on Tuesday January 25th, 2011

Jesus gave a parable in Matt 13:31, 32 , Mark 4:30-32 and Luke 13:18,19 about a mustard seed. The account in Matt. says – “…The kingdom of heaven is like a mustard seed that a man took and sowed in his field. 32 It’s the smallest of all the seeds, but when grown, it’s taller than the vegetables and becomes a tree, so that the birds of the sky come and nest in its branches.”

Continue reading about The Mustard Seed

andrew on Thursday January 20th, 2011

As stated in a previous post, I believe the bible tells us the Great Tribulation is a 3 1/2 yr. time period of great oppression for true Christians. What happens as this time period comes to a close?

Continue reading about The Rapture

andrew on Tuesday January 18th, 2011

Most of us here believe a JW reformation is sorely needed. What changes would have to be made? What would the organization look like? Is a reformation possible? or is it futile? Why would it be futile? Let me see if I can explain.

Continue reading about What Would a Reformation Look Like?

andrew on Sunday January 16th, 2011

The bible in Daniel and Revelation mention a period of 3 1/2 years several times each. The Society generally interprets this time period as already having been fulfilled in the early part of the 20th century. As all or most of us have learned this timetable just does not match up with the facts. So when does this 3 1/2 yr. interval happen?

Continue reading about 3 1/2 Years of Tribulation

andrew on Friday January 14th, 2011

There are several things that could make our worship to God be without value. What a scary thought! What are those things? Matthew 15:8,9 mentions one thing – These people honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. They worship me in vain, teaching as doctrines the commands of men.

Continue reading about Valueless Worship

andrew on Thursday January 13th, 2011

Paul had a struggle with the “superfine apostles” of the congregation in Corinth. These men, although giving an appearance of righteousness, were actually ministers of Satan. How would the Corinthian Christians recognize these ministers of Satan?

Continue reading about “Ministers of Righteousness”

As most of you know the understanding that the witnesses have of the faithful and discreet parable cannot be correct.

First, as JJ pointed out in his post ” When did Jerusalem fall” all evidence shows Jerusalem did not fall in 607 BCE, therefore 1914 could not be the end of the Gentile Times and the prophecy/parable of the FDS could not have taken place in 1918/1919. The same conclusion can be had when one sees that with all probability Jesus began to reign in the first century.

Continue reading about The Many Reasons That the JW Understanding of Matt. 24:45-51 Cannot be Correct

andrew on Monday January 10th, 2011

Romans 6:7 – For he who has died has been acquitted from his sin.

The JWs teach that this verse says that when one dies all his sins are paid for, if he receives a resurrection he starts with a clean slate and only what he does from the time he is resurrected counts. But is this biblical? and Is this what Paul was saying in Romans 6:7? First let’s look at some other texts that have to do with this subject and then we will return to see if we can decipher what Paul was saying.

Continue reading about Romans 6:7; Are Sins Wiped Out at Death?

andrew on Saturday January 8th, 2011

One way to be sure of the application of a particular scripture in the Hebrew Scriptures is when a writer from the Greek Scriptures quotes a text and then makes an application. For instance, notice Peter’s quote from Psalms in Acts 4:25-27 – …”Why did the Gentiles rage and the peoples plot futile things? The kings of the earth took their stand and the rulers assembled together against the Lord and against His Messiah”. For, in fact, in this city both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, assembled together against Your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed.

Now where did Peter quote from?

Continue reading about Inspired applications and Jesus’ enthonement

andrew on Friday January 7th, 2011

When one takes the time to read the bible, one thing that really stands out is the importance of charity, of using ones material goods to help the needy. Consider some examples:

James 1:27 – Pure and undefiled religion before our God and Father is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and keep oneself unstained by the world.

James 2:15,16 – If a brother or a sister is without clothes and lacks daily food and one of you says to them, “Go in peace keep warm, and eat well,” but you don’t give them what the body needs, what good is it? In the same way faith, if it doesn’t have works, is dead by itself

Continue reading about The importance of charity

Amos on Thursday December 23rd, 2010

The Olivet Discourse is one  that has been given many differing interpretations…there is more to it that meets the eye, as it was one of Y’shusa’s later instructions to His disciples, shortly before his death. The accounts are at Matt.24, Mark 13, & Luke 21. I believe that some of these events occured during the 1st […]

Continue reading about The Olivet Discourse

Amos on Saturday December 4th, 2010

  God calls those whom He chooses for His Kingdom, to reign with His son. Where do they reign with Y’shua, in Heaven or on Earth? As this is a question that each one must answer for themselves, I’ll present the following scriptures for consideration & discussion. This is also just an overview of the […]

Continue reading about God’s Kingdom-In Heaven or on Earth?

Amos on Friday December 3rd, 2010

Since composing the following paper, I am considering the posibility that during the next age, all the “anointed” may be in the flesh & on earth. Following the millenniual age, it may then be possible that we could be taken to heaven. This is a topic in it’s own right, for a separate discussion.                                   —————————————————— […]

Continue reading about The Ancient Worthies-Their Destiny

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