Does the Watchtower determine correct doctrine?

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postroad
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Does the Watchtower determine correct doctrine?

Post #1

Post by postroad »

To be a Jehovah's Witness you must afirm Watchtower approved doctrine. This must mean that you believe they have final authority on belief. What happens when new light is revealed and previously held doctrine is overturned? Are you obligated to abandon the position previously held?

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Re: Does the Watchtower determine correct doctrine?

Post #11

Post by JehovahsWitness »

postroad wrote: [Replying to post 9 by JehovahsWitness] So in short the GB is the only earthly authority on Jehovah's revealation to the organization
I don't know what the expression "on Jehovah's revelation to the organization" means. So I am not in a position to say if it accurate or not; it reads like gibberish.
postroad wrote: To oppose the GB is to oppose Jehovah.
To oppose me* is to oppose Jehovah. I (and all my Jehovah's Witnesses brethren) represent the Most High God, any that stand against any of us in our capacity as Witnesses, will have to answer to the God we represent.
"Then he said to the disciples, "Anyone who accepts your message is also accepting me. And anyone who rejects you is rejecting me. And anyone who rejects me is rejecting God, who sent me." - Jesus Christ
"For this is what the LORD of the Heavenly Armies says [...] whoever injures you injures the pupil of my eye." Zech 2:8
The above applies to me and any member of my religion; the men on the governing body are no exception.


postroad wrote: Extapolating further can we say that if the Jehovah's Witnesses are the only true Church on earth, that for any person to oppose the doctrine as revealed to the GB is to oppose Jehovah?
No this is inaccurate. Since Jehovah is never wrong on matters of doctrine but no human or group of humans can make the same claim, disagreeing on a doctrinal or organizational matter cannot be taken to automatically be disagreeing with Almighty God. I'm not sure how one can "oppose" a doctrine, one either believes it or doesn't, one accepts it or doesn't. A doctrine is a set of beliefs, one can only oppose the person (s) that holds that belief, the belief itself, being in the mind of an individual can be disproved, accepted, rejected but in practical terms "opposing a belief" is a euphemism for actions with regard the individual(s) that hold that belief to be true.

For information about opposing Jehovah's Witnesses (no matter who they are) see scripture above.





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Re: Does the Watchtower determine correct doctrine?

Post #12

Post by postroad »

[Replying to post 11 by JehovahsWitness A fallible message from fallible men? No wonder then that Jesus himself was mistaken concerning the end of days. What happens to the orginization when all hope of an imenant return is gone? What does the Bible say about those who falsely presume to speak for God?
Deuteronomy 18:21-22New International Version (NIV)

21 You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?� 22 If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.

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Re: Does the Watchtower determine correct doctrine?

Post #13

Post by JehovahsWitness »

postroad wrote: A fallible message from fallible men?
If you are refering to the bible message then, we believe that message is from God, we're just repeating it. The bible message is eternal its content infallible. If you are refering to Jehovah's Witnesses as humans, we are indeed fallible, we have never claimed to be anything other. We do, however have the inestimable privilege of representing the most high God as his Witnesses. It's all in the name.
postroad wrote: What does the Bible say about those who falsely presume to speak for God?
They will be judged by Him. I'm more than happy with that, if you are too, we're both good.
postroad wrote: What happens to the orginization when all hope of an imenant return is gone?
Paul explained in the bible that hope does not last forever, when the hope is realized, and the things hoped for come, the hope ends. Any hope founded on God is sure to come true; nothing Jehovah has promised will fail, Jehovah's Witnesses believe that. So Christ will return, of that we are absolutely certain. God's organization cannot be destroyed, thus for us the question is moot. If it's relevant for you I suggest you find a source that can help you further.
postroad wrote: No wonder then that Jesus himself was mistaken concerning the end of days
Well, if you believe that you can take that up with him. Feel free to start a thread on the question if the multitude that are on this site already are not to your satisfaction. I believe I have answered your question about JW doctrine, procedure and organization, which was the purpose of my posts.

Was there anything else?
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Re: Does the Watchtower determine correct doctrine?

Post #14

Post by postroad »

[Replying to post 13 by JehovahsWitness]
Yes, one more thing. If in fact the GB is a group of fallible men making fallible interpretations why would God hold it against me for disregarding their message? After all they have spoken presumptuously and having done so their message can not be from God but their own imagination.

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Re: Does the Watchtower determine correct doctrine?

Post #15

Post by JehovahsWitness »

postroad wrote: [Replying to post 13 by JehovahsWitness]
Yes, one more thing. If in fact the GB is a group of fallible men making fallible interpretations why would God hold it against me for disregarding their message?
You can take that up with Him. We just do what we are commanded and Jehovah will do the judging.

postroad wrote: they have spoken presumptuously ...
That's for God to say. We have, and do base our message firmly on the bible, if we have acted to His displeasure, he will let us know in His own good time. I'm sure you, like we, are happy to let God decide on such matters.
postroad wrote: their message can not be from God but their own imagination.
See above.

Since you said there was "one more thing" I presume you are done.
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Re: Does the Watchtower determine correct doctrine?

Post #16

Post by postroad »

[Replying to post 15 by JehovahsWitness]
The Bible instruction is to disregard such individuals. Why are you defying this instruction and bringing others into your error?

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Re: Does the Watchtower determine correct doctrine?

Post #17

Post by JehovahsWitness »

postroad wrote: [Replying to post 15 by JehovahsWitness]
The Bible instruction is to disregard such individuals. Why are you defying this instruction and bringing others into your error?
If you believe Jehovah's Witnesses are in error my only suggestion is to not become one. I do not agree with your conclusions, so with all due respect I think we will have to agree to disagree on that point.



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Re: Does the Watchtower determine correct doctrine?

Post #18

Post by Blastcat »

[Replying to post 2 by JehovahsWitness]




[center]
Just tell em what they want to hear, and you're IN !!
[/center]

postroad wrote: To be a Jehovah's Witness you must afirm Watchtower approved doctrine.
JehovahsWitness wrote:
No, to be one of Jehovah's Witnesses one must be dedicated and baptized worshipper of Jehovah God.
Oh, so the Watchtower isn't at all necessary then.

Just say I believe in a god, call it "Jehovah God", and I'm a JW in good standing. I'd need to be baptized too.. a bit of water, I suppose?

Impressive.

I can do that...
I always WANTED to go to one of those... temples or whatever it's called.

They seem so OMINOUS....


:)

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Re: Does the Watchtower determine correct doctrine?

Post #19

Post by Blastcat »

[Replying to post 15 by JehovahsWitness]


[center]
Soldiering on while waiting for the evidence.
[/center]

JehovahsWitness wrote:
You can take that up with Him. We just do what we are commanded and Jehovah will do the judging.
Yeah, obey, obey, obey.
Do as your told, do as your told, do as your told.

Impressive.
It's very much like the military that way.

JehovahsWitness wrote:
That's for God to say. We have, and do base our message firmly on the bible, if we have acted to His displeasure, he will let us know in His own good time. I'm sure you, like we, are happy to let God decide on such matters.
So, you can't know if your authorities have interpreted the "message" accurately until after you are all dead.

Good luck.
Everyone should have a hobby while alive though.


:)

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Re: Does the Watchtower determine correct doctrine?

Post #20

Post by Blastcat »

[Replying to post 15 by JehovahsWitness]



[center]Knowing what God has to say[/center]

JehovahsWitness wrote:
That's for God to say.
____________

Question:


  • So, it seems that you don't know what God has to say. Maybe none of the JW do. Why do you believe what JW has to say about God?

____________


:)

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