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?
How many on this site have read through the volumes of the scriptures? and if so how many times?
Ken – Probably very few have read through even the first volume, the Divine Plan of the Ages, let alone the other volumes. To me the volumes make mores sense than anything else. They show us how the whole Bible harmonizes into a beautiful plan. However, they are very deep. There are lot’s of scriptures to look up. You cannot just read through them and grasp what your are reading without taking some time to think about it. So in essense it is too much work. People want something easy and simple. So we often recommend God’s Grand Plan of the Ages, which is a shorter and simplified version of the Divine Plan book.
That’s all for the help!
Last night I had a conversation with a Jw(my wife) about whether or not Jesus died on a cross or on a straight upright stake ,of course, most of you know the Jw’s believe he died on a stake so, my question is what evidence is there to show it’s possible he may have died on a cross?
The following reply written on the subject as part of a debate on the subject and goes over some of the evidence both linguistically and historically:
http://www.biblestudents.net/forum/index.php?topic=49.msg478#msg478
It is brief and by no means covers all the evidence available.
Ken – You can find a discussion on whether Jesus died on a cross or turture stake here: https://www.friendsofjehovahswitnesses.com/2010/09/12/did-jesus-die-on-a-cross-or-a-torture-stake/
Hi Ken,
The cross and crown has been used by Christians for several centuries.
William Penn even penned a book called No Cross No Crown.
Revelation 2:10 is where the idea comes from, “Be thou faithful unto DEATH (taking up Jesus cross as he asked us to), and I will give thee a CROWN of life.”
I understand you have my number now. I need your help with a couple of questions I think you might be able to enlighten me on.
Give me a call one evening after 4 pm if you could. I have a couple questions that might help with the upcoming call in about who will Survive Judgment day.
Ah,interesting! Thanks Jeff, if I can remember I’ll give you a call on Tuesday 1/24/12 after 4pm…..
Some say the Bible students symbol of the cross and crown and reef is a symbol of the unification of church and government, others say it’s Masonic.Could someone tell me the origin of it and it’s meaning?
Ken, this is a great question that I am sure is on the mind of all JW brothers visiting. I am sure one of the more seasoned BS will give an explanation. It was refreshing when I found out what it means. Take Care.
Thanks Jacqueline…can’t wait to hear it!
In the Bible why are the ones resurrected to heaven never depicted as having wings? Are they just going to walk everywhere?
Ken – The ones resurrected to heaven become spirit beings. As spirit being is invisible like the wind John 3:6-8. Spirit beings do not literally have phylical body parts. Why would you need a stomach or lungs in heaven. Do we think spirit beings breath oxygen? 1 Cor 15:42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption: 43it is sown in dishonor; it is raised in glory: it is sown in weakness; it is raised in power: 44it is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body . 45So also it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit
Thanks Pete! I knew we’d become spirit beings, and obviously they all fly or teleport, I just wondered why the resurrected concecrated ones weren’t depicted with wings.
Hi everyone, since I’m a new “BS”,so to speak,I’d like some advice on study;so far I’ve completed the “plan of the ages”(volume 1) and am about halfway through “the time is at hand”(volume 2)I’ve also read the autobiography of Charles Taze Russell and have viewed several videos from the Bible students. Does anyone have some helpful hints on….how much to study,what all I should be studying or anything else? Ken
Hi Ken, someone will answer soon. Waiting on others to add what they are doing and suggestions. Take Care.
Ok thanks Jacqueline!
One thing I can say howevewr is that there is a target market of groups put together by Joe Emerson. It is an excellent opportunity to converse with these brothers on the information you have learned or relearned accoeding to what was originally meant from the bible. Many might want the Grand plans booklet. If you give me your okay I will forward your email to Joe so he can get you friended on the facebook site. Witnessing gives you strength and that is the target market.
Ken – I think you have chosen a good study approach. After volume one, many go to 2-4, the prophetic volumes. Others jump to 5 & 6 – basic doctrines and the New Creature. These are the best, but very deep studies and many chose easier and simpler approaches. Check out this link: https://www.friendsofjehovahswitnesses.com/2012/01/05/how-can-i-learn-the-truths-of-the-bible-without-getting-confused/
This question is to get an opinion from all(BS,JW,ExJW),this question is hypothetical: If I was a person that was well respected and looked up to with complete trust and I gave advice on certain medical procedures,eventhough I’m not a doctor,that caused many people to die because at the time I thought it was the right thing to do,but later,I found out that I was wrong and could have saved those lost lives if I hadn’t been so hasty about advice….should I be held accountable in any way?
Ken, there is something called malicious intent. In the case of the watchtower org. the 1985 and 1995 questions exonerates them legally. There you agree to accept the teachings of God’s earthly organization and if God told them wrong they would just change and not be liable. This is the legal answer you can’t sue and win if it was acceptable practice when you refused and died as a result.
Moral issue I see is someone making a life or death decision for anyone when it is not their life!! Or their family member. When certain ones needed organ transplants with blood on it all of a sudden it was allowed.My father took blood in 1959 because he knew it was about control and being different with Knorr and Rutherford.
I also have an issue with persons letting their child die when faced with life or death. Jehovah has allowed the authorities (doctors, police, medical scientist etc) to exist for our good. I would weigh and make a personal decision for myself and my family with me. I don’t feel persons not related to us can make that decision.
I also have a moral issue with cowards. Persons who know advice is not right or is questionable yet follow it because they fear disfellowshipping and losing friends. Martin Luther burned the edict of the Pope ex-communicating him and was glad.
Again, all injustices, crimes etc. will be reckoned with in the millenium. Many will have to forgive a lot of people and let time heal and the memory will be forgotten.
Imagine seeing a child and parent that died because of my wrong advice. I will have to reckon with them and try to reconcile in the new earth. I will be held accountable for that. Grace and love will be predominant factors in the millenium. Hopefully in a thousand years we can all forgive and put the blame where it belongs on Satan.
Thanks for your reply Jacqueline! Yep, you guessed it….I was indeed talking about the watchtower org.I just can’t forget all the lives lost due to their flip flopping advice!Further I can’t understand how some,especially the older ones,are well aware of this and yet stay part of the Org.!!
Many don’t know where to go so they wait patiently for Jehovah to do something. Some have told me this and the internet resounds with this. Some can just stay there and do what they know is right. I couldn’t because I had so many abuse victims to speak for. I have been gone 2yrs this month. But for six months I was on hook-, up only realizing I couldn’t step foot inside of a KH anymore. Then I saw the announcement of the convention after talking to BS sister on the 800 number. I was just blessed to find a place to be with like minded Christians. I am doing all I can tho to get the word out. Wednesday Study is tonight so I have 1 more patient then I can come on. Good nite for a while.
I hope that many more Jw’s find the Bible Students…Hallelujah!
I have a question about the video “for This Cause”; the scene where the high priest is sprinkling blood near the alter was said to be in the form of a cross….what scripture indicates that the sprinkling was in the form of a cross?
Hi Ken,
The blood was sprinkled in an east/westward motion (this would be towards the ark of the covenant), and before it (northward/southward).
“Moreover, he shall take some of the blood of the bull and sprinkle it with his finger on the mercy seat on the east side; also in front of the mercy seat he shall sprinkle some of the blood with his finger seven times.
Leviticus 16:14 New American Standard Bible (©1995)
Thank you Jeff!
dupin your story was so similair to mine yet it has its differences….. im in the nursing field so i do know wat u are goin thru medically….. i applaude u on your strength wen i reached out i didnt think that i would get this reaction or this much support…ans i appreciate that this is so overwhelmin rite now that im a writer which my second profession and im at lost for words cuz there is so much i want to say but im not sure cuz im not a very trustin person these days it feels as if ive been cheated at the best values in life which a normal childhood where u have two parents instead of one who loved wit there heart and the other hated u to the core cuz they felt u were get the love they desired but u were just bein the normal lil girl lovin there father but knowin in you heart that something is different in your childhood cuz u had brothers and a sista but u didnt live with them cause the ppl u think areu parent are not ….. so u feel abandoned by your maternal parent cuz u feel like u are unloved and unwanted …. besides those things goin on in your life u have a male who is suppose to be your elder your family betray your innocence rob u of the joy of experience a pleasure u are suppose to have with the one u marry but age of four u no more than u suppose to but u do and u act out that behavior seekin that help only havin throwin back on u and said in front of all your peers u are disfellowship and then immediately rite there is a talk about and all eyes on u even those u have robbed of that innocence
and once again u are plunged into that world of lonliness wantin someone to call a friend….. then your life changes from the parents that u know throw u off on this woman u dont know but u do know that she is your mother she wants u to call her mother but u cant but u want that bond but u just dont know how …. so u rebel and u get on away from there and make choose that u really not sure u want to get in but u do for the means of survival ……. then to find yourself as an adult and u are seein your life go by again in someone else eyes which happens to be your son ….and ppl keep preachin this god thing and i still cant come to gribs with that cuz if i was a child of god y did he do this to me i never ask to b here but im here didnt i desire a happy normal life ….. then i had this awaken and i am talkin and i dont care who critize me cuz i got a voice and i want them to try and stop me from talkin cuz im not with and religious organization …. they have tried to stop me and im goin forward …if i got to use this forum to express what i have to say i hope that i still get the say love that i have thus far …… sorry if i offended anyone it had a lot to express and better way to express what upon ones heart but amongst friends……
Just a quick reply for the moment given the time it is and I have to be at 6:30, about four hours away. I wirte as well, though i’m not commercially published. my story about my fight with my disease and some people’s reaction to it was published in a national journal for folks with the same problems back in June.
I guess about the only ones who would be upset with the venting might be an apologist for our former faith who comes by, I don’t know if anybody particularly does since my involvement here is quite recent. But that’s okay, it has to go somewhere other than inside. I’m on board to read, and do what little I can to help Neda. Even as a Witness I was known for that. It is what I am. It is who I am.
You have my wishes for some measure of piece on this night and will check in on the morrow when I can.