Witnesses have always been talked about in a bad way by others who do not understand witnesses. I've always said to people who I know, just think about what makes sense. I'll add some here to compare with others and some are simple and others may not be. I don't know but I always ask that people be opened minded and then it turns into an argument.
One example is Idols or Images used in worship. The Cross itself is an idol. Remember when Moses was getting the commandments, the people were creating a Golden Calf. How did God React? He was upset and Angry and thus the Golden Calf was destroyed. What is the difference between that Idol and today's crosses? Or really anything that is used.
Around the globe, Hindus, Buddhists, Catholics, and members of the Orthodox Church view the use of idols, images, or icons as a vital part of their worship. If you visit the places where witnesses meet, Kingdom Halls, you will find neither icons of saints nor statues of Jesus or Mary,nothing. Note what it mentions at Exodus 20:4, 5.
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(4) “You must not make for yourself a carved image or a form like anything that is in the heavens above or that is on the earth underneath or that is in the waters under the earth. (5) You must not bow down to them nor be induced to serve them, because I Jehovah your God am a God exacting exclusive devotion, bringing punishment for the error of fathers upon sons, upon the third generation and upon the fourth generation, in the case of those who hate me.
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So it's safe to say that Jehovah does not like images or idols or anything that people bow down to for worship. By process of elimination just by this scripture alone, which religions can you eliminate? Which religion is the truth?
Another teaching is that the Soul Is immortal. When we die, there is an afterlife? What is the origin of the myth? The early Christian philosophers adopted the Greek concept of the soul’s immortality and thought of the soul as being created by God and infused into the body at conception. You can find this info by looking at The New Encyclopædia Britannica (1988), Volume 11, page 25.
What does the Bible say?
The soul that sinneth, it shall die. Found at Ezekiel 18:4, King James Version. Regarding the creation of the first human soul, the Bible says: Jehovah God proceeded to form the man out of dust from the ground and to blow into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man came to be a living soul. Genesis 2:7.
The Hebrew word ne′phesh, translated “soul,” means ‘a creature that breathes.’ When God created the first man, Adam, He did not infuse into him an immortal soul but the life force that is maintained by breathing. Therefore, “soul” in the Biblical sense refers to the entire living being. If separated from the life force originally given by God, the soul dies. See Genesis 3:19 and also Ezekiel 18:20.
The doctrine of the immortality of the soul raised questions: Where do souls go after death? What happens to the souls of the wicked? When nominal Christians adopted the myth of the immortal soul, this led them to accept another myth—the teaching of hellfire. Compare these Bible verses: Ecclesiastes 3:19; Matthew 10:28; Acts 3:23. I hope that makes this teaching clear thus allowing one to separate false religion with the Truth. Ask yourself then, who teaches afterlife? Or that we go somewhere when we die? The Fact is at death a person ceases to exist.
I mentioned hellfire for the wicked. What is the origin of the myth? Of all classical Greek philosophers, the one who has had the greatest influence on traditional views of Hell is Plato. you can look this up the history of hell by Georges Minois, page 50.
From the middle of the 2nd century AD Christians who had some training in Greek philosophy began to feel the need to express their faith in its terms. The philosophy that suited them best was Platonism [the teachings of Plato]. —The New Encyclopædia Britannica (1988), Volume 25, page 890.
The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity. Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, ‘eternal fire.’ The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God.” You can find this information by looking at the Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1994 edition, page 270.
What does the Bible say?
“For the living know that they will die, but the dead know nothing,for there is no work or thought or knowledge or wisdom in Sheol, to which you are going.”—Ecclesiastes 9:5, 10, Revised Standard Version.
The Hebrew word Sheol, which referred to the “abode of the dead,” is translated “hell” in some versions of the Bible. What does this passage reveal about the condition of the dead? Do they suffer in Sheol in order to atone for their errors? No, for they “know nothing.”
That is why the patriarch Job, when suffering terribly because of a severe illness, begged God: “Protect me in hell [Hebrew, Sheol].” (Job 14:13; Douay-Rheims Version) What meaning would his request have had if Sheol was a place of eternal torment? Hell, in the Biblical sense, is simply the common grave of mankind, where all activity has ceased.
Is not this definition of hell more logical and in harmony with Scripture? What crime, however horrible, could cause a God of love to torture a person endlessly? (1 John 4:8) But if hellfire is a myth, what about heaven? Before I talk about that.
Compare these Bible verses: Psalm 146:3, 4; Acts 2:25-27; Romans 6:7, 23. The Fact is
God does not punish people in hell nor would he create such a place. So if any religions teach this, it's false according to scripture thus again showing which is the truth.
I mentioned Heaven. This is a popular teaching that all Good People Go to Heaven.
What is the origin of the myth? After the death of Jesus’ apostles, by the beginning of the second century C.E., the early Church Fathers gained prominence. Describing their teachings, the New Catholic Encyclopedia (2003), Volume 6, page 687, says: “The general stream of teaching was that heavenly bliss is granted to the disembodied soul immediately after whatever necessary purification follows death.”
What does the Bible say?
“Happy are the mild-tempered ones, since they will inherit the earth.”— Matthew 5:5.
Although Jesus promised his disciples that he would “prepare a place” for them in heaven, he indicated that the righteous do not automatically go there. Notice John 3:13; 14:2. Did he not pray that God’s will take place “as in heaven, also upon earth”? See Matthew 6:9, 10. In reality, one of two destinies awaits the righteous. A minority will rule in heaven with Christ, but the majority will live forever on earth. See Revelation 5:10.
Over time, the early church changed its view of its own role on the earth. With what result? “The institutional church increasingly replaced the expected Kingdom of God,” states The New Encyclopædia Britannica. The church began solidifying its power by becoming mixed up in politics, ignoring Jesus’ explicit statements that his followers were to be “no part of the world.” (John 15:19; 17:14-16; 18:36) Under the influence of the Roman Emperor Constantine, the church compromised some of its beliefs, one of which involved the very nature of God. Compare these Bible verses: Psalm 37:10, 11, 29; John 17:3; 2 Timothy 2:11,12. Why would Jesus need to come down and die if people GOOD people were going to heaven anyway, meaning people that were Good people before Jesus came to Earth. Think of Noah, Job as an example. The Fact is the majority of good people will live forever on earth—not in heaven. If any teach that we die and go to Heaven well they are not teaching the truth and thus they are a false religion.
Really I can go on and on comparing but in truth I can just end it all with one identifying feature that Jesus himself stated at John 13:35 which states, By this all will know that YOU are my disciples, if YOU have love among yourselves.
Sure Witnesses have their problems like every other human on the planet but the one thing that unites all brothers and sisters is our common love for each other and our common love for Jehovah. This is world wide not just locally. Who else has this identifying feature?
We are called cults but yet if anyone claims to know me, then you would know that we are not a cult. The internet is a dangerous place and the best way to find information about Witnesses is by going to their Authorized website. I love it when people say we twist words when you can go read it yourself. Let me give you an illustration. School is a perfect example. Let's say the teacher in the classroom just handed out homework without ever explaining what it is. How do you think you would do. You can read what is given but if you don't understand what is given, chances are you will fail.
If you pickup the bible and read it yourself chances are you won't understand all of it. Most don't or else in the case of Idol's they wouldn't use them right. So you need a teacher who understands scripture. Then take in what is taught and use common sense and think about it and see if it makes sense to you. There is no twisting of words if it's directly from the bible. Witnesses didn't twist words when reading the scripture that says not to use Idol's?
Witnesses didn't twist words when they said that we do not go to Heaven? This is all scripture based, how can you twist words. False religion was around when Jesus was on earth and false religion is around today. I get accused of posting a wall of text that make it hard to understand. It's not that it's hard to understand, take it paragraph by paragraph so you can understand. There is no twisting in my words and besides my words are not my own.
Now for Jesse. I don't really have to defend him to anyone. What I said about Jesse is the same thing that I said weeks ago, months ago, years ago. He loves Jehovah. He wants to be the best witness that he can be. Next Month he will pioneer which means he will do ( I hope I got this right ) about 50 hours in field service helping others to understand some of what I posted here today.
He doesn't do drugs, he doesn't smoke, he's a virgin, he's saving himself for marriage. He doesn't use bad words, He wants to make sure he can take care of himself and his wife and possible children by working to educate himself in many areas. I am a proud father and I love my son very much. I'm not sure what I could add to that. Sure he made his mistakes and he will make mistakes again, we are not perfect but compared to the kind of children, teenagers, young adults we see today, I am so thankful that Jehovah guided his life.
Not to accept Jesse if he was the last person on Earth? Good thing it isn't his choice on who to marry and who not to marry. I am reminded of the Karen Malone Story. Remember her parents didn't accept the fact that she wanted to become a witness but she followed her heart and was blessed with a husband and children. This despite the fact that her parents wasn't happy. I don't live Jesse's life. He lives his own. I don't make his choices in life, I help him make choices.
But if nobody accepted Jesse, well it's like the door out in service, we smile and move onto the next door.
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