Posted by Bibleman [Bibleman] on November 16, 1999 at 21:15:01 {pRztWiaeukMRXA6xmpscslyACFuF8c}:
In Reply to: Advice?? posted by Gretchen on November 16, 1999 at 20:19:18:
Hi Gretchen,
What I think you want to concern yourself with is not having his violate his conscience. His relationship with God should be foremost, whether or not he leaves the organization.
Right now, it's not big deal if he leaves the organization spiritually since the GB was disfellowshipped by Jehovah in 1992 and thus the GB is in spiritual darkness.
If you want him to leave and have a confidence about that, it might be good to show that the organization is not teaching the TRUTH and thus he will have a Biblical basis to drop the organization.
But I hope both of you will focus on the Bible's truth and not wander away from God but toward him.
So in order to cut that umbilical cord, you might have to brush up on your Biblical skills and show him some of the false teachings of the WTS.
These are not mindless arguments about evolution or about 1914 being the wrong date. Those won't work. But you can ask him to go into detail about a few critical issues that will help him realize on his own that he does not have the full truth.
So I suggest you go to him and ask him a couple of the following questions which show up false teachings by the Witnesses that are BIBLICALLY incorrect and not just someone else's doctrine such as the false trinity doctrine.
Ask him these questions and see what happens.
1. Read Matthew 24:29 which clearly says that the "great tribulation" is over, followed by a period of darkness of the sun and moon, before the Messiah arrives. Right now the WTS cannot teach the "great tribulation" happened before the Messiah arrived because they think he arrived 1914. Which is wrong. They think the "great tribulation" in fact, is Armageddon. So what you have to ask is, "How can the "great tribulation" be Armageddon when the Bible says the great tribulation happens before the Messiah even arrives?" See if he can explain that. He won't be able to. You don't even have to know the answer. But it will get him to think.
And that's another thing to understand about witnesses. Few of them think about what they believe so they think their beliefs are in harmony with the Bible, and most are. But these are the ones that are not and are current false teachings of the WTS. This is a nice, clean issue and if he's honest, he'll see that the 1914 scenario doesn't work.
Now here's another level. It's one thing to show that one does not have the correct teaching. It's another thing to then provide them with that correct belief. But this might be challenging if you're not familiar with the topic. So I'm just going to give you the answer with no further explanation just so you'll know the answer. The "great tribulation" which happens to "Judea" was the HOLOCAUST. That's why it is over and finished before the Messiah arrives. Also, the chronology of the Neo-Babylonian period was revised during the late-Persian Period and so there is 82 years of expanded Perisian history. It's a complex argument. But basically, the correct dating for the fall of Jerusalem in 529BCE which is now confirmed directly by astronomical texts which are the only way to absolute-date an ancient event. So ultimately 1914 is wrong and the messiah would arrive near the END of a generation that ended in 1994. So the HOLOCAUST fulfills that part of the prophecy about a "great tribulation" like none other, after which, the Messiah would arrive.
Question #2:
A second direct contradiction which you can enlighten him about is the fact that the Jews did not begin their 70-year exile until the 23rd year of Nebuchadnezzar II. Read him Jeremiah 52:30 and then compare Jeremiah 44:14 and 28. Jeremiah 52:30 says the last deportation was in the 23rd year. Jeremiah 44:14 and 28 shows that those who ran down to Egypt would return to Jerusalem, thus Jerusalem was not desolated until after they were deported. The ones deported in the 23rd year included those who ran down to Egypt.
Right now, though, the WTS is teaching that the 70-year exile began in the 19th year so that it coordinates with the 537BCE date for the return from Babylon. 537+70=607BCE. That's where they get the 607BCE date and that's where they get 1914 since 2520-607=1913+1=1914.
But this is wrong since if the 70-year desolation period did not begin until the 23rd year, then 1914 is four years off!
This is simple mathematics that contradicts the WTS teachings. If he is honest, he'll recognize this, and it will begin the process of breaking away spiritually.
You also have an advantage since this is not "apostate" teachings from any book, but this is purely Biblical discussion, and just bringing it up is enough to let him see where the problem is and to start him waking up to reality. It will be a gradual process. So these two questions are enough to begin for now.
If you will note from this board, if you ask either of these two questions to any witness that is here, they will refuse to answer it!!!! They can't deal with it. That's how you know it's gold!
Don't believe me? Why not do this! Ask these two questions yourself and ask that some Witness comment on it and see what they say.
And don't worry if he still holds to the WTS' views on this. They have their clever twisted arguments. The idea is that he begin to think for himself and the seed of truth will be planted. And you're not trying to drag him into another religion, just realize he must read the Bible for himself directly.
So try these out and let us know what happens. If you need some more details just let us know. Witnesses can't defend this so it will be the beginning of the end. It's why the WTS wants them to get off the internet so they are not exposed to these truths.
Best regards in your endeavor. And don't forget to learn these Bible truths as well for yourself.
I hope this helps.
Cheers,
Bibleman