Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rutgers!aramis.rutgers.edu!athos.rutgers.edu!christian From: boris@tornado.Berkeley.EDU (Boris Chen) Newsgroups: soc.religion.christian Subject: Re: Questions for Jehovah's Witnesses, part 1 Message-ID: Date: 23 Nov 90 06:18:30 GMT Sender: hedrick@athos.rutgers.edu Organization: ucb Lines: 83 Approved: christian@aramis.rutgers.edu Gene, I think the reason behind your misunderstanding is your perception of what role the governing body has in the lives of Jehovah's witnesses. We hold the Bible to be the word of God, in its entirety. The governing body serves as a slave of God who cares over his belongings and provides spiritual food. Jehovah's witnesses as a whole constitute a visible body of people who worship God. The governing body may make mistakes, but neither the Watchtower magazine nor any other publication printed by the WBTS makes the claim of being inspired of God (or God-breathed, NIV), which the scriptures clearly are (2 Tim. 3:16). But nonetheless, our view of the governing body and other overseers who are charged with sheparding is summed up by what Paul said: "Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God..." (Acts 20:28) They are shepherds appointed by holy spirit and just as the Christians in the first century submitted to their direction under Christ (Acts 15), so we do today. As for your quotes of old Watchtower publications, I have no comment. It isn't because there is something to hide, or that I deny that what you retyped is truly from WBTS publications, but rather I have no way of verifying what you are trying to piece together is true one way or another. I can tell you this (though, you have this on my word only, you can take it or leave it): I was baptised 2 years ago. I initially was introduced to the Lord in my home town of Irvine, and made my decision there to be baptised. This was by no means a quick decision. In order to make sure of what I was doing was right, I took time from secular pursuits (i.e. school) to do some searching. My sister was in a Taiwanese Presbyterian church, so since I believed in God, and believed that the Bible was truly His word, I felt the only step was to find the group that truly represented a people who believed the same. So went with her to their meetings (they had a youth fellowship meeting that I attended). The one who led the group talked with me afterwards to get to know me. I explained that I was studying with Jehovah's Witnesses, and we made arrangements to meet privately together to discuss some aspects of the Bible. What followed was an intense amount of research on my part, and on the part of both who I studied with. The Presbyterian presented me with books written by Walter Martin and others, as well as photocopies of old publications. The Kingdom Hall back where I used to live happend to have the publications that were quoted in these anti-JW literatures. Upon looking many of them up and reading surrounding contexts, I found that the books were extremely misleading in their elaborations on what was being said. At times, text were actually altered. To say the least, this process was extremely time consuming, but it helped me make up my mind. You know the outcome of my decision. But my decision to become a witness of Jehovah was not because of this. For it would be silly to become one simply because one found another religion lacking. All this time of searching, I earnestly prayed for guidance from God. I even refrained from using his name, since I didn't want to be partial in my decision. I pondered over the evidence from both sides on topics like the trinity, and hellfire, and the nature of the soul. (Topics that always pop up when Witnesses are mentioned.) And it is from this process that I finally made my decision. I have found no oppresive elders that seek to find fault and hold the threat of disfellowshiping over my head to keep my in line. I haven't found the irrationalism and emotional frenzy that is a characteristic of cultish religions. I haven't found the worshipping of Russel or of the veneration of the Watchtower. None of these warnings from the Protestants I studied with came true. They told me that Witnesses are as immoral as anyone else, they (JWs) only put up a facade. Again false. When I first met them, they displayed Christ-like qualities, and had the love that identified followers of Christ. And as I have come to know them intimately, becoming one of them, I see that these qualities are not merely superficial, but rather stem deep from in their souls. They are not "saints" or perfect, but they have the faith that continues to reaffirm my belief that I have made the correct choice. Gene, I cannot determine how sincere you are. You could be just like Walter Martin, or like the other hate-mongers. Then again you maybe earnest in your pursuit of truth. I can't tell. But clearly, this discussion has be carried out on a person to person level. Electronic media for all its marvels cannot do everything that can be acheived on a person to person level. I wish you the best, and I hope you keep sincerely searching for Christ promises that you will find. +==================================================================+ + Boris Chen || Berkeley, CA || boris@ocf.berkeley.edu + ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ + "And they will have to beat their swords into plowshares, and... + + neither will they learn war anymore." ---Micah 4:3 + +==================================================================+