The suggested answers provided to all questions below are based on and in harmony with the views of the original Watchtower Bible and Tract Society when under the guidance of Pastor Charles Taze Russell. Comments will often include a link to Pastor Russell’s own explanation. However, in any case, we leave your conclusions to your own personal study, prayer, conscience and the influence of the Holy Spirit.
- Who are the Friends of Jehovah’s Witnesses who have created this website?
- Why have the Friends of Jehovah’s Witnesses set up this site? What is your purpose?
- Should we really want to be on earth rather than heaven? Does the Bible give us that option?
- Are the Great Crowd the same as all the people in Paradise Earth?
- What is the role of the Great Crowd on Paradise Earth?
- Is the Great Crowd to be in heaven or on earth?
- Who are the “other sheep” of John 10:16?
- What happens to Anointed who do not make the 144,000
- As the Path Shines Brighter, does the Truth Change?
- Why does God Permit Evil and Human Suffering?
- What is the future mission of the Anointed for which they are now being prepared?
- Will Present Unbelievers Serve and Worship Jehovah on Paradise Earth?
- Will Everyone Be Resurrected from the Dead?
- Have People Received Final Judgment for the Past 6,000 or will they have an Opportunity for Judgment and Restitution on Paradise Earth?
- Will the wicked get an opportunity to repent in Paradise earth?
- Who will occupy the land of Israel in Paradise earth?
- Who does Jehovah make the New Covenant with?
- What prophecies regarding Israel’s regathering have already been or are being fulfilled?
I bought this very old Bible (finnish translation) which is from 1895. There is this comment: In this Bible there is no apokryfic books. What are apokryfic books? Never heard of them till now.
Dear Sister,these books that they refer to are books not written under divine Inspiration.They were written by people who did not have gods spirit,so they are not accepted as Inspired.Depending on which religion people belong to depends on how many(If any)are accepted.The catholics accept more of these spurious books that most others.Christian Love,Bro Richard
Hi Marjo, enjoyed our testimony meeting this morning and we discussed a little more about the “hidden books”. there are many other holy writings out there, but when getting the Bible canon together they couldn’t include everything written so with the help of the holy spirit they chose 4 of the gospel writings that were widely used and accepted and many letters they felt with the Spitits guidance they should include, the way I see it and the way it is recorded they did it.
The ethiopian Bible has the book of Enoch as part of it’s canon and the early Christians had access to it as they quoted from it. I have read this book about five times. I have read the book of Thomas, Mary, Peter etc. Now I want to read the books in the Catholic Bible. One brother that meets with us is Catholic and says they have good history. I don’t think it is mandatory to read but I am a readaholic. LOL. I just finished reading a 504 page book on the reformation from Christ to 1800-1900 that included Jehovah witnesses formation. It is the book they use in Theology college and it had conclusions and questions. I have been deprived of learning from other men of faith that are in this world and now at almost 70years old, I am doing catch up. You however have a family. I also got the book that has some of the dead sea scrolls translated from the free table at one of our conventions. I will tackle that eventually. While I personally don’t read any and everything, I do value other writings and others thoughts on Bible canonization.
Take Care and nice to see you Friday night and then again this morning.
Thank you Jacqueline and Richard from the answers. Somehow I feel, that being in Witnesses was waste of time. The reason why I say this, is that you could only read Jehovah’s Witnesses literature. Charles has always been there in my mind when I was kid. Only I didn’t realize it then. But now it came back to the surface. Maybe I wasn’t ready for this knowledge then, but I am now. I’m going to get those volumes. And more Bibles lol. It is interesting to read and compare different Bibles. New World Translation is more written with standard language, than the Bible I had from 1895 was written in old way.
Marjo put the words the eight translations Bible in your browser it shows the entire New testament. Opened out and it has eight different translations. I have been collecting Bible translations from the Free book table at our conventions. I have at least 15 in addition to the eight translation. I love the really old ones I have. As a witness we were cut off during the later years from knowledge. Earlier as a child and teenager we were encouraged to read certain other books or they just didn’t say anything about your reading. Since the inception of the governing body in 1968 and afterwards they became tyrants and totalitarians.
I didn’t know my poor children would be so affected by them that they are afraid of death at armageddon for themselves and their children so much that they will directly disobey the word of God if the governing body tell them to. I blame myself for their bondage. Get as many Bibles as you can, it is a part of the healing process. Getting on the Testimony meeting now. See you next week.
Hello All,
This last midweek meeting apparently from our sources had a letter read from the GB to all congregations. In each hall names of inactive ones or ones who have not been in a while were read by name and the congregations were encouraged to visit them and try and get them to come back.. Thought this may be of interest….
Brandon
That seems extreme. Most that have left will likely not appreciate a gang of witnesses getting time on them by bombarding them with visits. Hopefully my relatives don’t take their advise. Things have been peaceful and very quiet in my life after the last attack by family. What did they tell them to say? I will try to get a copy of the letter.
Not sure on what all was said. From the lady my wife spoke too she just mentioned a letter being read and many names of inactive ones were mentioned and i guess the idea is to “encourage”
Don’t be nieve. They want people to show them there is a reason to disfellowship you the inactive one. They could have a recording devise on them. Never answer any direct question with a yes or no answer. Have a concordance at your side and only answer with a direct quote out of the Bible. Jesus is our example. He always said: “It is written” and then cited the quote. When they make an outlandish statement ask them where is that in the Bible? Then write down their answer have them review it to see if you wrote it down correctly and tell them you will do more research on that subject. Tell them you don’t know everything your still just roving about. Tell them we all have much to learn and everybody is just doing the best they can. Start on the bottom and stay there. Take lots of deep breaths. Pray continually. Give them a beverage. Take lots of deep breaths. Pray continually. Do yoga position right on the floor in front of them if you have to. Walk out in the front yard and take a breather. Give them another beverage. Heap coals on their heads Overcome the evil with the good Pray for more holy spirit. Be a good soldier for Jesus Christ and Just stay sweet and good.
Just stay sweet, ha-ha. I am a little straight forward. When approached I say frankly I don’t attend the kingdom hall anymore, I associate with the Bible student brothers. “Well you can come back” they say. I say, no I have found Christ and can worship God without being in an organization. I don’t like organizations. If asked if I believe the witnesses are God’s organization and the governing body is the faithful slave? I say no I don’t believe that. I find if I just answer their questions truthfully they either say they have to go or stop talking to me. Either way I am not afraid and just not affected by them any more.
Una has been handling it that way and leaves you with no anxiety. They aren’t people that i have to be evasive with. I don’t fear them anymore . All of my family and everyone in my Circuit and those close know I am not a witness.
It doesn’t turn into an argument or controversial because it is the truth of my conviction and I say it gently and say nice seeing you again, hope your family is okay. Only elders come to my door, the Circuit overseer sat in the car in front of my house. He knows I will hold him more accountable. He has probably spoken with firmly convictived ones that have left.
Not everyone have grown to that state but I have merged with my brothers and consider them my spiritual family now not witnesses.
We all grow slowly, some faster.
BTW, no one has a card on me, it was sent to another country. An organization has to follow rules, whoever has the card.lol
I welcome a visit now, I feel more of the Holy spirit influence in my life and on me. And I will try hard to just stay sweet. Ha
I wonder about traveler when stating God did not know his beginning. I was wondering about why i never gor scriptures on that, seems a new thought. Anyone have scriptures on this or have you heard this somewhere?
Lee
I was just on the testimony meeting. It is going well, still running. I am on the road so i had to stop for food.
But they are really sharing some information about their lives that brings us closer.
I should be home this evening for the next one.
Hi Brandon,
I recall reading that somewhere in one of traveler’s postings. I hope I don’t sound harsh but it seemed quite a silly notion to me because in all my readings and researches and questions I’ve never encountered anything remotely similar or suggestive. Perhaps I simply lack sufficient imagination, but I personally cannot fathom any circumstances where such a conclusion would be necessary, much less make any sense.
At the very least, the notion that God is somehow lacking in awareness, or that he has incomplete knowledge seems to be very inconsistent with a great many scripture passages, especially if said ignorance/naivety pertains to some aspect of God’s awareness of Himself. What do you think?
-greg
Completely agree! Was just trying to make sense of it. New concept.
Psalms 90:2 (ESV) “Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever you had formed the earth and the world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.”
Not sure what Traveler meant. My thought is that God created time when He created the Universe. Before the creation of the Universe there is no time. We have no way of comprehending a Divine Being that exists outside of the constraints of time. However, this explains how God knows the beginning to the end. Satan can never take God by surprise. If Satan had a success God did not want, God could simply step into the timeline at the appropriate spot and tweak events to the outcome He would allow or direct.
Ellis
Thanks for letter and links Jacqueline; very interesting!
I see there’s someone on here called Daz who lives in UK – so do I. Where abouts in UK does Daz live? I’m in Truro, Cornwall.
I just sent him email asking him to come on and talk to you. And you are welcome.
Ellis here!
Jacqueline, I recently read a post from you saying about this year’s annual meeting and that the GB says door ministry may soon stop as witness given. When is that likely to happen, and what is the Bible Student Witness combination that you mentioned?
Ellis, the ban of witnesses in Russia and other faiths is suppossily for extremism. The TFJW are not extreme.
What is the extremist.
1. It is not the fact that they refuse blood as many people do and other medicines. It iS EVEN IN THE FACE OF DEATH, WHEN IT IS CERTAIN THAT THE TRANSFUSION WILL WORK, you refuse. That is extreme. Prudent persons refusing chemo will try to save their life sometimes if there is hope.
2. Shunning a person so as not to engage in immoral conduct etc might be reasonable. Bad association can persuade one.
NOT TALKING TO YOUR PARENT OR CHILD BECAUSE THEY LEFT YOUR RELIGION, even putting a teenager outdoors. THAT’S EXTREME!
3. Every religion believe they are correct to some extent. But it is extreme to say God only deals with GB and you must be in an organization to survive a trumped up understanding of the end of the world ie armageddon. That is extreme.
Muslims cut your head off! And they are lumped in with them. I don’t agree with Russia doing anything with it’s dirty little house.
I heard it from a pre Annual meeting talk and from some speculative talk out of Bethel.
Go here to listen, I commented before others heard it but Mike and wife put it on You tube Monday. I heard it the Thursday before.
I will try to locate the clip as it seems Mike and Kim felt it was creepy like most and seemed to have removed it. I will try to find it to let you hear what was said.
Go here, it is creepy but a real talk given at a pre Annual meeting which by the way goes on for a week.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKI5UK42jPg
Quick question. Which bible do the Bible students use?
Mimi,
Hello, bible students tend to use many different bibles, I think it is whichever one you are most comfortable with. I know some who even use the NWT from time to time. I personally use the ASV from 1901 the most but have a shelf full for study and references. If you listen to one of the recordings you will find the one giving the discourse will likely use more than 1 bible.
Lee
Hi Mimi and welcome, it is so nice to have you on. Hopefully the articles are written in such a way that you understand. Keep the questions coming, this is what this site is about talking discussing and questioning. Take Care Jacqueline
has anyone questioned the discrepancy between the Date [Sept 28th] and the day of the week [Friday]
The 28th is THURSDAY and Friday is the 29th!
which is it?
Larry the testimony meeting is October 7, 2017. Put the link where you see this so Br. Peter can see it. Also perhaps clearing your cookies might help. Thanks
Thanks a lot.
Hi Br Peter, few people claims Jesus confronted them and called with their names. I know in gospel age it won’t happen, but are we have any scriptures to show them human body can not see Spirit body(Jesus)?
Raj,
Good question. Let me know if you are satisfied with this link to answer your question.
https://www.friendsofjehovahswitnesses.com/2010/11/11/does-jesus-have-a-body-of-flesh-3/
Thanks Br Peter for your answers.