Simple Question

Getting to know more about a specific belief

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Taff Lafferty
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Simple Question

Post #1

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If your parents had practiced and had a different a different religion, do you think you would belong to that religion too?
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Taff Lafferty
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Post #21

Post by Taff Lafferty »

JehovahsWitness wrote:
Taff Lafferty wrote: No offence intended but if you feel i have, tell me how and why please.
No offence taken at all. You are right, we must remain humble if we want to progress spiritual.

Respect

JW
Not really dealing with the questions raised, i gave you time to study, and come back with some answers.
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Post #22

Post by JehovahsWitness »

Taff Lafferty wrote: Not really dealing with the questions raised, i gave you time to study, and come back with some answers.
What was the question?
INDEX: More bible based ANSWERS
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 81#p826681


"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" -
Romans 14:8

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Taff Lafferty
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Post #23

Post by Taff Lafferty »

Do you think group study within the witness organisation to be a form of cult brain washing and control?

Do you think the organisation actively recruits vulnerable people?

Do you find the organisation to be evolving and re-branding and is now nothing like the start?

Theres a few for you.
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Post #24

Post by JehovahsWitness »

Taff Lafferty wrote: Do you think group study within the witness organisation to be a form of cult brain washing and control?
No I don't.
Taff Lafferty wrote:Do you think the organisation actively recruits vulnerable people?
No, our preaching methods are by design all encompasing. We go from door to door in every neighbourhood where it is legal to do so, thus indescriminately preaching to whomever lives in the home. We neither target wealthy or poor areas and speak to men and women equally. We set up public witness stands at stations and other areas where there are many people and anyone (old or young, rich or poor, black or white) can stop and take our literature. So while we do visit nursing homes to speak to the elderly we also have stands in University campuse, we visit housewives but also make appointments and visit professionals at their place of work; while we have teams that work in poor villages in Africa or the Amazon, we also have teams that visit doctors, surgeons and healthcare professionals (hardly considered "vulnerable people" on an intellectual or emotional level... So no, I would not say we "target" any particular group.

Taff Lafferty wrote: Do you find the organisation to be evolving and re-branding and is now nothing like the start?

Jehovah's Witnesses believe in a progressive, constantly growing (evolving) form of worship. We are not "traditionalists" thus we don't hold any tradition or interpretation to be sacred or infallible and have from the beginning of our modern day organization encouraged change; I often refer to my religion as "progressive" in nature. Thus while Jehovah's Witnesses always have and always will hold the bible to be the unchangable inspired word of God and some clear truths therein as basic and fundamental to our faith (such as the value of the ransom of Jesus' sacrifice) there is no interpretation, practice or tradition that we don't look to refine and improve systematically and on a regular basis (read: change).

As for 're-branding" I'd say our "our signature sign" is going from door to door and that's not likely to change at least for the moment, but even that we didn't do at "the start" and while we find this is the most effective way to ensure everyone gets an opporutunity to have a witness, even that is being complemented by more public witnessing (stands at stations and areas where people gather) and an increasing emphasis on the internet (directing people to our website which didn't exist at "the start")

To illustrate
Think of it a bit like the field of medicine. Although certain inviduals, such as Louis Pasteur made valuable contributions to our understanding of the medical field, would you want to be admitted into a hospital that still practiced medicine exactly the same as they did in 1892?
In a similar way, Jehovah's Witnesses respect and share many of the fundamental beliefs of Charles Russell et al, but we've come a long way since 1879* as spiritual enlightenment has progressively been revealed and our understanding of scripture has continued to increase. Jehovah's Witnesses cherish our spiritual heritage but we do not live in the past!

* 1879 was the year the Watchtower Society published the first issue of the religious journal "The Watchtower".


For further information watch the series of interview: The Kingdom—100 Years and Counting
INDEX: More bible based ANSWERS
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 81#p826681


"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" -
Romans 14:8

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Taff Lafferty
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Post #25

Post by Taff Lafferty »

Do you have to evolve because your prophesies about the end in 1925 and 1975 failed to happen?

What kind of confidence can anyone have in an organisation that rejected its founder and first two presidents for the first 63 years of its existence? This represents about 53% of the time they have existed?

Since the Watchtower organization claims "apostolic succession" who was it that "passed the torch of God's Spirit" to C. T. Russel when he founded the organization? What was the name of this individual?
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Post #26

Post by JehovahsWitness »

Taff Lafferty wrote: Do you have to evolve because your prophesies about the end in 1925 and 1975 failed to happen?
Yes. We as bible students have never made any prophecies but we have mistakenly interpretated existing bible prophecies, most if not all Christians religions as well as Jesus first Apostles have done this. I'm sure you'll agree that if you're wrong about something (as everyone is on occassion) there is any merit in "sticking to your wrong" as I put it. So yes, part of our progress has been to reexamine our incorrect understanding of already existing prophecies. There's nothing unique in this, all major religions have had to do this on occassions - case in point the Catholic church apologising for its treatment of Galileo.
To illustrate: It was once believed that the earth was flat (still is apparently for some but that's another story. As additional information has come to light people have admitted this is wrong and changed their view.
Nothing "wrong" in that (I'm not suggesting you are saying that there is anything at all "wrong" with Jehovah's Witnesses admitting mistakes, I'm pointing this out because I've heard there are some people (not you, other people) might.

JW
INDEX: More bible based ANSWERS
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 81#p826681


"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" -
Romans 14:8

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Taff Lafferty
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Post #27

Post by Taff Lafferty »

[Replying to post 26 by JehovahsWitness]

Sir this is not an answer to my questions, more than one question, you answer what you want and ignore what you can not answer.

Now run off to the moderators and complain, like last time.

To the moderator who will undoubtedly been notified, read the questions and see his answers, they are not answers at all.

I ask the moderators to chose a non Christian to moderate, because i criticise christianity i feel that there is a bias .
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Post #28

Post by JehovahsWitness »

Taff Lafferty wrote: more than one question, you answer what you want and ignore what you can not answer.
Well firstly, I'm not sure (short of your being a mind reader), you can possibibly be in a position to know what I can and cannot answer; all you can know for sure is what I do and do not choose to answer. You are of course free to speculate on the reasons therein.

As for ignoring questions, to the best of my knowledge nobody is obliged to answer every question that is posted on this site or even every question addressed to them. I rarely if ever address questions based on false premise, that present strawman arguments or that I personally judge to display extreme ignorance, bias or lack of courtesy. I also don't respond to posts on topics that I'm not interested in talking about.

If you have any complaints in this regard there are moderators and I believe a page which stipulates site rules and guidelines. Perhaps consulting them will help you avoid having overly elevated expectations as to the number and nature of responses to your questions.


Have a most excellent evening anyway,

JW
INDEX: More bible based ANSWERS
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 81#p826681


"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" -
Romans 14:8

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Taff Lafferty
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Post #29

Post by Taff Lafferty »

[Replying to post 28 by JehovahsWitness]

I believe you can't answer the questions, which is very frustrating, im trying to debate with someone who picks and choose's the questions they like to answer in relation to their advertised religion.

It's even more frustrating when the questions presented are very relevant but the person is patronising the questioner with semantic's.

I always try to be polite, and i will continue to do so, but if you can not answer my questions please just say so.
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Post #30

Post by JehovahsWitness »

Taff Lafferty wrote: if you can not answer my questions please just say so.
Alright, since you ask so nicely. I am quite capable of answering all the questions you have asked me in this thread. I choose not to. I have already outlined why I choose not to address certain questions. Should you ever ask a question directly to me that does not display the characteristics I mentioned and I see it but cannot answer (because I do not know the answer, do not understand the question or for any other reason...), I will tell you.

Hope that helps,

JW
INDEX: More bible based ANSWERS
http://debatingchristianity.com/forum/v ... 81#p826681


"For if we live, we live to Jehovah, and if we die, we die to Jehovah. So both if we live and if we die, we belong to Jehovah" -
Romans 14:8

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