Paradise Cafe Discussions - A Place For Bible Research And Christian Encouragement

Had an interesting experience this morning.

Walked to the store and noticed a Bethelite elder from my old congregation who was about to walk up the pathway to a house.

He had memorial invitations in his hand.

He saw me coming and waited on the sidewalk for me to approach.

I said; "hello {name} good to see you".

He looked very surprised and it became obvious that he did not recognize me.

I said; "you don't recognize me, do you".

He said; "Oh good morning, I did not recognize you"

"Now that you have a beard!"

Realizing that it was a statement about my personal appearance I immediately grabbed the memorial invitation which he was holding out to me in his hand and pointed to the picture of Jesus Christ.

I said; "Yes, I have been trying for a long time to grow a beard as beautiful as this one here".

At that moment another elder walked towards us on the sidewalk.

I gave him a very warm hello using his name

He walked right by trying very hard not to make eye contact.

Realizing this the other elder immediately followed suit.

Wish I could have spoken to them longer.

I have a lot more to say now that I am not considered a part of their congregation.

I would love to have some "face time" with Jehovah's Witnesses.

Unfortunately it is not an easy thing to acheive.

Thats why I just post on forums and make video's.

Its the closest I can get to giving a witness to them.



In Christ

abe

Where would you send them, Abe? All you can do is destroy their faith, and that can't be pleasing to God. Leave them alone, as you would (hopefully) leave a Baptist, Methodist, Catholic, or Pentecostal. Who are we, and what do we know, that we should try to be the masters of their faith?

Surely, if they're trying to please God, and what they are doing is all that they know, they are still found faithful (although ignorant).

Kindness is the best Christian argument!

JWHVACR,

In the 1st century the Christians knew they would eventually have to leave Jerusalem.

The Jews however, were just trying to please God and doing all that they knew.

Where would they go?

At that time just "out" and far away was sufficient to save them.

Kindness IS the best Christian argument!


In Christ

abe

My philosophy is ... if a JW is happy and content being a JW, leave them there. Some are better off inside, then out.

HOwever, if one is open-minded, or searching, I have no problem sharing the good news with them.

I agree, destroying their faith in the Watchtower, often times destroys their faith in God. Look at all the "lost souls" onb JWD and JWS and other ex-JW forums. YOu can't even get a decent spiritual conversation going, as all they want to do is destroy the WT Society, as they "throw the baby out with the bathwater".

RR144,

I also see those EX-JWs on this and other forums and agree that it is often difficult to get a real spiritual conversation going.

I also believe that Satan does indeed use his weeds inside these forums to provide disinformation in order to undermine any who might be sincere.

It is very difficult to detect a weed from a righteous person who might be misled.

You are obliged therefore to treat them all the same as best as you possibly can.

I believe that many of the babies are already outside the WTBTS.

They are also being thrown out with the bathwater.


In Christ

abe

Hi abe!
I believe that if you had gotten any real "face time" with them, they would have "lost face"!
They were afraid to talk to you, and probably felt bad about that.

BTW, nice retort about the beard! :thumbsup:

ABE
I will be a third voice in agrement with leave them be.

Using the old Idea that we need "to Pull them into the boat against their will" will never work.
GOD has proven to me over the years that we can never ever force Love.
LOVE has to grow on it's own.
We are to sound a warning to be free of guilt.

Please be carefull as the wicked slave beats his brother.
People can change when they are ready!

I accept GOD Does know when they are ready!!!!!!!

WE just need to wait around for GOD to put us to use.. IMO
No NEED to Force it. that is not our Fathers way. Look how much time he has given mankind to learn and grow.

Please believe.. Have some Faith brother all is not lost.
GOD's ways always prove his wisdom.

Yes, as I've mentioned before; I have two sisters who are JW "Pioneers," and if I destroyed their faith in their beliefs, they would simply fade away into disbelief, which has happened to many former JWs (and a few here).

On the 2001 Translation site I often receive letters from JW elders asking what they should do. And my advice is to retain their positions as long as they can, in order to try to help their brothers to better understand what the Bible really says.

Indeed it is. It is just a pity that the JW brother did not show kindness or good manners when he completely ignored you after you greeted him warmly. His response was rude and unnecessary, no matter how threatened he may have felt about you. All he had to do was show a modicum of normal human courtesy and no more. It reminds me of a certain parable Jesus gave about persons crossing the street to deliberately avoid an uncomfortable situation.

JWHVACR,

Here is what the bible really says:


2nd Thessallonians 2
8 Then the lawless one will be revealed and the Lord Jesus will do away with him by the breath from his mouth and bring him to nothing, when he arrives.
9 However, the Opposer will bring [the lawless one] to those who are destroying themselves through his powers of lying signs, omens, 10 and every sort of unrighteous deception. [They will choose this] instead of love of the truth, which would save them. 11 So, that’s what God is sending to them instead. He’s allowing this wrong thing to be, so they can believe the lie… 12 and so that all those who don’t believe the truth (but prefer unrighteousness) may be judged.

If I had a father, son or any other family member in this situation I would turn my heart toward them.


In Christ

abe