Another Circular Circular.

[Tcg]

.

Apparently due to the pandemic, the JWs have taken to mailing out their circulars rather than knocking on doors and handing them out personally or leaving them in mailboxes if they get no answer. The latest I've gotten in the mail asks, "How do you view the future?" As is often the case, the first part refers to the Bible to answer the question on the cover and the second part purports to answer the question, "Can we really believe what the Bible says?" Oddly the second part contains a total of eight biblical references to support the claim that one can.

Does it make logical sense to accept the verses supporting the Bible as evidence the Bible should be believed?

Do some who receive this circular circular not notice its circular nature?


Tcg

[JehovahsWitness]

Why would Christians (who presumably know to go to the Bible already and should have read it) need to be told about what God is saying in the Bible from a pamphlet from JW?

Because in my experience, many have a measure of respect and confidence in the authority of scripture but few have actually read the bible and less actually understand it. I think we had a thread not too long ago on this very forum which was questioning why so many claim to respect the bible but so few actually read it.

As Jehovah's Witnesses we believe there is power in the bible and when we draw rightly disposed people to what their own bibles actually say, many are deeply moved and appreciative.

JW

To learn more please go to other posts related to...

JEHOVAH'S WITNESSES , PUBLIC PREACHING and ... PANDEMIC WITNESSING,

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[William]

[Replying to TRANSPONDER in post #49]

My own position is that there appears to be a mind behind creation and science so far has only confirmed that.

My point remains that either way science has not provided evidence supporting which position is true and your position is no more or less a belief-position than my own.

Your comments re supernatural are not something I believe in. I do not consider consciousness/things of the mind, as being supernatural. I wouldn't even consider an appearance of inter-dimensional beings to be supernatural. I think anything which interacts with nature is natural.

[benchwarmer]

Because in my experience, many have a measure of respect and confidence in the authority of scripture but few have actually read the bible and less actually understand it.

On this we can agree. I have had that very same experience. Lots of people have very little of understanding about what's in the Bible or where it came from, but hold on to some reverence for it. I think it has more to do with our culture than anything else. In other words, many of these people really have no clue why they hold the Bible in any esteem and would likely be unable to explain it if questioned.

In other words, it's playing on peoples ideas about something rather than actual facts.

I think we had a thread not too long ago on this very forum which was questioning why so many claim to respect the bible but so few actually read it.

Yes, I remember that. It really is a fascinating phenomenon. Again, I think it is due to our cultural use of the Bible i.e. swearing an oath with a hand on a Bible. When one grows up seeing this in movies and such, it gives the Bible a place of special significance (that it really doesn't deserve). Just like the holy texts of other religions are rarely thought of in cultures that are predominantly Christian.

If Christianity wanes (as some stats seem to show) and especially if use of the Bible in ceremony lessens, this tactic will have less and less utility.

As Jehovah's Witnesses we believe there is power in the bible and when we draw rightly disposed people to what their own bibles actually say, many are deeply moved and appreciative.

You are basically admitting that you are targeting folks with limited actual knowledge about the Bible, but are disposed to believe it holds some weight. I assume you attempt to convince them about various things in the Bible before bothering to actually educate them on the composition of the Bible, who wrote it, modern scholarly views about it, etc. Seems pretty underhanded to me, but whatever floats your ark.

[Tcg]

As Jehovah's Witnesses we believe there is power in the bible and when we draw rightly disposed people to what their own bibles actually say, many are deeply moved and appreciative.

JW

When JWs flood my neighborhood searching for converts none of my neighbors appreciate it. Wisely, most are deeply moved to not answer the door. The witnesses seem quite giddy, but I suppose that's because they are meeting their quotas for the month. Clearly "rightly disposed people" are a rare find.


Tcg

[JehovahsWitness]

Clearly "rightly disposed people" are a rare find.

Yes they are very rare indeed, but like diamonds, worth the effort needed to find. Jesus indicated this would be the case,

MATTHEW 10

Into whatever city or village you enter, search out who in it is deserving, and stay there until you leave.+ 12 When you enter the house, greet the household. 13 If the house is deserving, let the peace you wish it come upon it;+ but if it is not deserving, let the peace from you return upon you. 14 Wherever anyone does not receive you or listen to your words, on going out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.+ 15 Truly I say to you, it will be more endurable for the land of Sodʹom and Go·morʹrah+ on Judgment Day than for that city

Of course as I pointed out in my earlier post, we have changed our methods of "searching" during the pandemic, but continue nevertheles ...

EDIT* NOTE : I MENTION the bible in line with forum guidelines . I am not presenting the bible as authorative, (and have no intention to add an argument to that end in this subforum) See LINK for details:
viewtopic.php?p=1050358#p1050358

[Tcg]

Clearly "rightly disposed people" are a rare find.

Yes they are very rare indeed, but like diamonds, worth the effort needed to find. Jesus indicated this would be the case,

MATTHEW 10

Into whatever city or village you enter, search out who in it is deserving, and stay there until you leave.+ 12 When you enter the house, greet the household. 13 If the house is deserving, let the peace you wish it come upon it;+ but if it is not deserving, let the peace from you return upon you. 14 Wherever anyone does not receive you or listen to your words, on going out of that house or that city, shake the dust off your feet.+ 15 Truly I say to you, it will be more endurable for the land of Sodʹom and Go·morʹrah+ on Judgment Day than for that city

Ah yes, the old shake the dust off your feet and the threat of future suffering. This is supposed to apply to circular circulars? Additionally, what is the value of this passage in a sub-forum where the Bible is not considered authoritative? Thank goodness for those who aren't "rightly disposed" to fall for scare tactics which can't be shown to be based on reality or the promises found in circulars destined for the landfill.


Tcg

[JehovahsWitness]

I think we had a thread not too long ago on this very forum which was questioning why so many claim to respect the bible but so few actually read it.

Yes, I remember that. I really is a fascinating phenomenon. Again, I think it is due to our cultural use of the Bible i.e. swearing an oath with a hand on a Bible. When one grows up seeing this in movies and such, it gives the Bible a place of special significance....

I found the thread ....

Americans value the Bible and as many as 9 in 10 households own a Bible. Some own as many as three or four. A recent survey suggests that slightly over half think America would be worse off without the Bible. source Presidents are sworn in using the Bible and in some cases courtroom witnesses are sworn in using the Bible. Clearly, the Bible is held in high regard.

This regard, however, doesn't result in equal levels of reading the Bible. Only 1 in 5 Americans have read all of it and only 9% have read all it more than once:



This leads to these questions for debate:

Why do so few Americans read the Bible even though it is held in high regard?

Is it possible that it is viewed highly because few have read all of it?


Tcg

So as I said, many have a degree of regard for the bible but may not e familiar with its contents.





JW

[Tcg]

Of course as I pointed out in my earlier post, we have changed our methods of "searching" during the pandemic, but continue nevertheles ...

The only thing that has changed about your search for converts is the method of delivery. JWs still rely on this circular circular for their membership drives. Receiving them in the mail isn't fundamentally different than hearing an unwanted knock on the door.



Easier to ignore perhaps but whether they are left in mailboxes or delivered legally in the mail, they still have to be thrown away.


Tcg

[JehovahsWitness]

Easier to ignore perhaps but whether they are left in mailboxes or delivered legally in the mail, they still have to be thrown away.

That's okay, the point is to share the information, people don't usually keep pamphlets forever even if they value them. Those that want to know more use the contact info on the back, those that don't pass it on or put them in the trash (hopefully they recyle).

Of course in this digital age we are moving towards sending links and electronic versions of our literature when possible (which is better for the environment and possibly less expensive).




JW

[Tcg]

Easier to ignore perhaps but whether they are left in mailboxes or delivered legally in the mail, they still have to be thrown away.

That's okay, the point is to share the information, people don't usually keep pamphlets forever even if they value them. Those that want to know more use the contact info on the back, those that don't pass it on or put them in the trash (hopefully they recyle).

Of course in this digital age we are moving towards sending links and electronic versions of our literature when possible (which is better for the environment and possibly less expensive).

As if we don't receive enough spam already. Oh well, deleting is as easy as a short walk to the trash can. Hopefully JWs won't resort to robo-calls to spread their circular claims. "Press one if you want to hear more from the Bible as to why you should believe what the Bible says. Press two if you want to suffer the same fate as Sodom and Gomorrah."


Tcg