Taken out of context this would mean a person should never ever eat any blood or fat, from a steak, pork chop, or any meat with fat on it. Most Jehovah's witnesses will laugh and say this only applies to sacrificial animals, not those intended for ordinary consumption. They'd be correct, but then they'd turn right around and solemnly disfellowship the JW who dared to accept a blood transfusion to save their life, because it goes against God's Law? No, it really doesn't. One must assume that the letter in Acts applies to human blood transfusions, not just eating animal blood. They expect people to die--- for an assumption

Blood transfusions were not even heard of in the 1st century, so using blood as God intended it to be used---in the veins, simply could not and would not have been addressed in previous generations. The Watchtower expects you to die. They expect you to let your child die, all for an assumption that is not mentioned in scripture. Because blood transfusions didn't exist back then.

God said "I desire mercy not sacrifice" Hosea 6:6 The Watchtower expects their followers to sacrifice their lives and the lives of their children for an assumption and are expected to show little or no mercy, not only in blood transfusions but other things they do as well, like shunning a family member for getting caught in a sin that could and should've been covered by deep Christian love 1 Peter 4:8

The way they operate they'd stone a person for eating fat and then realizing oops! We assumed it was meant for all meat. That's regrettable, but moving right along... When we show mercy, we seldom have anything to regret... Those who do not show mercy will have much to regret

For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment. James 2:13

Just browsing through my bible at almost 2 AM, hanging out in the concordance. I come across Witness, which briefly says:

WITNESS- (n) testimony A person who may be called to give testimony concerning an agreement or event that has been observed. In the Bible, an animal or object, such as a mound, may also be designated as a witness in the sense that it is personified as an observer of the agreement or event, or viewed as a symbol of it. In less common English usage, witness is also used to refer to testimony which has been or can be given.

Scriptural references:

• This heap is a w ... Gen 31:48
• is w between us ... Judg 11:10
• my w is in heaven . Job 16:19
• a w to the LoRD ... Is 19:20
• He came as a w... John 1:7
• you shall be My w-es ... Acts 1:8
• For God is my w... Phil 1:8
• Christ, the faithful w ... Rev 1:5

In all the scriptures this particular bible references (and I checked another bible, NIV, which had less references), the witness actually witnessed an event in relation to a miracle from God.

In Isaiah 43:10, from where JWs derived their name, God was literally speaking to His chosen nation and people through which He would birth the Messiah, and declared that they are His witnesses.

The Israelites had witnessed miracles firsthand. They:

• witnessed freedom from their oppressors

• witnessed their lives being saved and walking through a split sea on dry ground

• witnessed God’s guidance in the wilderness

• witnessed manna fall from heaven

• witnessed God’s voice on the mountain where He issued the ten commandments

• witnessed him personally declaring to them, they would be HIS witnesses.

If JWs pulled their name from this covenant God has with a different people, what miracles did JWs actually witness from this list?

In the NT, Jesus says to his disciples

”but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.” Acts‬ ‭1‬:‭8‬

That ‭is yet another miraculous event that testify to God’s glory and power, the same spirit that allows Christians to testify of God’s goodness, mercy, and power.

Based on all this, what do JWs witness to the world since they deny the Holy Spirit and Christ’s glory?

• How did God change and regenerate you without the Holy Spirit?
• How can you testify of Christ, what little you do, if you can’t pursue or fellowship with Him?
• JWs are big on events and dates. What date have you issued that was supposedly “ordained by God” that came to pass?

This verse here is starting to resonate really well:

As Proverbs says:

Proverbs 14:25 – “A truthful witness saves lives, but one who breathes out lies is deceitful.”

Yep. It's me a heathen rubbing it in your face that us worldly people are having a fine old time out here in the world. Making our own choices, making our own rules, living our lives.

Freedom......!

If there are folks waking up in their religion, I would highly recommend getting Life Application Study Bible. Every verse is explained in the footer of each page of the bible. There are standalone and profile pages that go more in depth about the topic or person. The first page of each chapter also gives an outline and historical introduction to the book, who wrote it and roughly when, the issues faced during that time, and why and what issue was being addressed in the book or letter.

I was in 1 John last night reviewing highlights I had previously made and the dilemma we see today in belief in Christ. It is interesting what people thought of Jesus then vs now. The warning issued below is also a reminder that Christ should be the center of our spiritual walk and is our guarantee to salvation. So:

Before you accept what religious teachers say about any topic, listen carefully to what they believe about Jesus. To deny either his divinity or his humanity is to consider him less than Christ, the Savior.

#Full Excerpt Page Concerning How Heresies Crept In:

Some of the second or third-generation Christians began to have doubts about what they had been taught about Jesus. Some Christians with a Greek background had a hard time believing that Jesus was human as well as divine, because in Platonic thought the spirit was all-important. The body was only a prison from which one desired to escape. Heresies developed from a uniting of this kind of Platonic thought and Christianity.

A particularly widespread false teaching, later called Docetism (from a Greek word meaning “to seem") held that Jesus was actually a spirit who only appeared to have a body, In reality he cast no shadow and left no footprints; he was God, but not man. Another heretical teaching, related to Gnosticism (from a Greek word meaning "knowledge"), held that all physical matter was evil, the spirit was good, and only the intellectually enlightened could enjoy the benefits of religion. Both groups found it hard to believe in a Savior who was fully human.

John answers these false teachers as an eyewitness to Jesus' life on earth. He saw Jesus, talked with him, touched him—he knew that Jesus was more than a mere spirit. In the very first sentence of his letter, John establishes that Jesus had been alive before the world began and also that he lived as a man among men and women. In other words, he was both divine and human.

I found this intriguing

• Through the centuries, many heretics have denied that Jesus was both God and man.
• In John's day people had trouble believing he was human;
• Today more people have problems seeing him as God.
• But Jesus' divine-human nature is the pivotal issue of Christianity.

Before you accept what religious teachers say about any topic, listen carefully to what they believe about Jesus. To deny either his divinity or his humanity is to consider him less than Christ, the Savior.

Hey everyone,

I just had a long talk with my younger brother back home in Nigeria, and something he told me has been bothering me. He mentioned that he’ll be attending a watch night at the just rehabilitated assembly grounds, where they work as security personnel. They were recently instructed to submit their “No Blood” cards before each shift started and were warned they might encounter thieves. Even worse, they were told that they should point their torches sideways if they might get shot at. It’s disturbing enough that robbers have shown up after people left these gatherings, carting off belongings, but it’s scary to think it could just as easily happen while people are there, putting everyone in real danger.

What's more upsetting is that they weren’t given any means to protect themselves, and this keeps going on with brothers in the same circuit taking rounds, facing the same risks. Sadly, many who choose not to go to these gatherings end up being labeled as “bad influences” in the congregation, so people feel forced to attend, even though it’s unsafe. It feels manipulative, and people are being put at unnecessary risk.

Honestly, hiring a private security company would cost way less than the value of the things that have been stolen. I’m sharing this here to bring awareness because people are being taken advantage of and put in danger unnecessarily. I hope the organization will step up and do the right thing here before authorities need to get involved.

Stay safe out there, everyone.

Hey!! I am not a JW but I’d hate to put a believer in an uncomfortable situation. I invited my cousin who is a JW to the Carolina Renaissance Festival BUT I’m scared that there might be things we’ll have to stray away from. Like tarot cards or Pagen stuff…idk for sure Have any of you ever gone? If so how was your experience…and what should I watch out for!!!

I know no food with blood, no alcohol, no tobacco etc.. and not to bring up any different beliefs. I was wondering if there was anything else I should be aware of and how I can be a good host.

The cards that most Jehovah's witnesses carry somewhere on their person that forbid them from getting a blood transfusion are thought to be a legally binding directive in the event a JW is unconscious and cannot consent to blood to save their life. While that may be true, the other reason they sign and carry one is to give the JW and the Society "bragging rights" They'll point to all these "loyal" witnesses of Jehovah who would risk their lives in order to uphold God's Law, or more correct, the Watchtower's understanding of God's Law. Jesus said, Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. John 15:13 How does that fit in with not taking blood to save ones life? It doesn't. The fact is dying because you wouldn't take blood to save your own life helps absolutely nobody, friends or foes.

Laying down ones life for a friend usually benefits the friend in some way. A soldier throwing his body on a live grenade to save his friends may have died but his brave act of love has saved the lives of his friends, or a teacher/coach using his body to shield his students from a hail of bullets from some deranged shooter. He has laid down his life to save his friends. But dying for a rigid understanding of a letter written in the book of Acts saves nobody's life. It only ends life for one. The person laying down their life because they refused blood has died for a policy, not a single friend. This is so sad and so senseless. Its also the wanton waste of life and blood, in which life is. When someone gives another human their own blood, they are giving of their own physical life. In the case of a blood transfusion the person giving blood need not lay down their life in order to impart the benefits of their life's blood. Its a win-win.

My prayer is for every JW who has died because they refused a blood transfusion to approach the throne on their knees and beg forgiveness. The last thing they ought to do is stand there in front of Jesus reminding Him how they died...for Him in order to uphold the Law. Things will not go well for them or anyone else who does that.

All JW's will face Jesus someday like we all must, but they'll have a choice in how they approach the Lord. It may be the last time they will ever have a choice so I advise they make the right choice. I can't speak with any of those JW's who have already died for a cold hearted blood policy, but I can warn those who may at some point be faced with that horrible decision, like my dad had to do. If you don't want blood, fine, don't take it, but please, please do not think for one minute your 'sacrifice' is desired or requested by Jehovah. It is not! Hosea 6:6 Those who sacrifice and then die because of it, you will very quickly find out it was a big mistake. You will be in a place the living can no longer speak to you and you cannot speak to the living. But when you are there you'll know it. The best you can do at that point, in my opinion is find every JW there in Hell and preach to them. Tell them, whatever they do or say to Jesus on judgment day, do not approach the throne reminding the Lord Jesus of what "you" did for Him. Please....don't do that.

May 2024 President’s Video: “Things You Would Not Believe…”
300000 people baptized!

Non-religious (also non-judgmental) person here. I have a coworker who is a Jehovah’s Witness and I often wonder about his experience, especially in this political climate. Is it challenging to remain neutral? How do you do that? Do you secretly have feelings about who you’d like to win? Or is it ok in your culture to have an opinion, you just don’t vote on it? (Please excuse my ignorance, I’m learning and mean no disrespect)

My coworker and I get along well and work closely together, but our employer is strict about not talking religion or politics at work (and it would probably be rude anyway). But I find myself wondering about it a lot. I’d be really curious to hear anyone’s thoughts.

(Born-in, never baptized) I get this feeling of depression and guilt whenever my family brings up the religion. It’s like I’m not doing what I should be doing or something. I know that the organization is hypocritical and at times dishonest but I don’t know where I stand really, still get tons of feeling like “I’m missing out on something” when I miss meetings. I like being able to live my own life being a good guy but feel that Jehovah God wants more for me and that I’ll get more lost if I go on my own. Don’t mean to sound desperate but I honestly don’t know what road to take or what I really want out of life.

(for context, we're teenagers) I believe I have a crush on this girl that I met at a KH, and I'm not sure what to do. I am not a JW, and thankfully I don't think they are baptized yet, but their whole family is JW unlike mine (i chose to stay with non-JW side of family) however one of my female friends there i grew feelings for and we actually stay in touch online. However what irks me is that I know I shouldn't try to pursue anything as it wouldn't be safe for me or her. I've made attempts to go silent but she continues to reach out to me, and I'm not sure if she just wants to be friends still or get me back in JWs or something else, but has anyone experienced a similar situation? how did you handle it? yes, they know that I stay with a non-JW family but I am not sure if they know I myself don't want to be a JW

Romans 2:4-6 NWT Or do you despise the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, because you do not know that God in his kindness is trying to lead you to repentance?  But according to your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, **you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and of the revealing of God’s righteous judgment.  And he will pay back to each one according to his works:**

Since God is eternal and infinite, and all sins are against God, God has decreed the just punishment for sin must also be eternal. God created people to live eternally. So when someone commits a sin against another person, the offended person has also been eternally wronged.

Matthew 25:46 NWT These will depart into everlasting cutting-off, but the righteous ones into everlasting life.”

According to the Bible, the lake of fire is the “second death.” This is the ultimate consequence of sin, which is to be totally cut-off from God. The lake of fire is a place of suffering and misery. Scripture says that every person whose name is not written in the book of life will be cast into the lake of fire.

Revelation 20:15 NWT Furthermore, whoever was not found written in the book of life was hurled into the lake of fire.

Even though hell is described using words like "fire", it is not meant to be thought of as only a physical place. Hell is described as a place of “torment,” not “torture,” originally intended for the devil and his angels.

Matthew 25:41 NWT “Then he will say to those on his left: ‘Go away from me, you who have been cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.

Hell is an eternity of conscious, guilty, shameful separation from God and all forms of goodness. Hell is far worse than a literal inferno. Fire is used as a symbol of God’s judgment. Such as real-life examples of God’s use of fire to punish the wicked, such as the overthrowing of Sodom and Gomorrah.

To deny the existence of hell, is to deny Gods perfect justice and righteous wrath. It is to create for yourself your own image of God, an idol. It diminishes the greatness of Gods love and mercy and the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It also diminishes God's perfect justice. Without it, what did God really save us from? Eternal unconsciousness? There's not justice in that. That would mean the friendly neighbor who's an unbeliever would be equally "paid" for his sins as Hitler, who slaughtered millions of innocent people. That's not justice.

Feeling so hopeless. I know the brothers and sisters are there for me but nothing feels personal anymore. Even though i keep fighting it seems impossible to have a good life here or in the new system.

Verás mi padre desaparecio cuando yo tenía 3años y de toda mi familia lo dan por muertoPero no tiene una tumba conmemorativa y en la biblia dice que los muertos que están en los sepulcros resucitarán tengo fe que eso aliviaría el alma de mi padre y se lo estoy planteando a mi familia pero como no conocen de la palabra no le dan prioridadAquí hay unos pasajes que invitan a la gente a construir tumbas conmemorativas no sabes cómo deseo el hacerle una a mi padre Si tienes tiempo para orientarme en base a la biblia busque en el evangelio de

Juan capitulo 5: 28

Mateo 27:52

BENDICIONES

Is it true you have to step on icons/ some type of pictures when becoming a Jehovah’s Witness ?

The following questions were submitted on September 13th and October 10th (return receipt requested) with no response from : Jehovah’s Witnesses 1020 Red Mills rd Wallkill NY 12589.

1. If Jesus is “the same yesterday and today and forever”(Hebrews 13:8), then how can it be said that Jesus was an angel, became a man, and then became an angel again?

2)Why is Michael called “ one of the chief princes” in Daniel 10:13? Michael is one among a group of equals while Jesus in John 3:16 is “monogenes” — which means “ unique,” “one of a kind”?

3. If no angel can ever be called God’s Son ( Hebrews 1:5)—and if Jesus is in fact the Son of God—then how can this mean that Jesus can in any way, be the archangel Michael?

4)If no angel can rule the world ( Hebrews 2:5)— and if Scripture clearly says that Christ is ruler of the world ( Luke 1:32-33; Revelation 19:16)—then doesn’t this mean that Christ cannot be the archangel Michael?

5. If in Jude 9, Michael the archangel said “ The Lord rebuke you” and could not rebuke the devil in his own authority and Jesus could, and did rebuke the devil in Matthew 4:10;16:23 and Mark 8:33, how can that mean Michael and Jesus can in any way, be the same person?

6)What scriptural passages does the Watchtower teach supports and demonstrates that Jesus is Michael the archangel?

What do JWs teach regarding Jesus’s claim/implication/statement/suggestion that He was I AM in Abraham’s day in John 8:56-59

”Your father Abraham rejoiced that he would see my day. He saw it and was glad.” So the Jews said to him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have you seen Abraham?” Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I am.” So they picked up stones to throw at him, but Jesus hid himself and went out of the temple.”

‭‭

Then in Revelation 1:8, within the chapter where John is within His vision speaking with Jesus, Jesus tells John to write:

Revelation 1:8

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.”

Note about Revelation

In this verse, the speaker identifies as “the Alpha and the Omega” and “the Almighty,” titles that align with divine characteristics. Throughout Revelation, Jesus is depicted as the “Alpha and Omega” (Revelation 22:13) and as the one “who is and who was and who is to come” (Revelation 1:4).

While some translations attribute this phrase directly to God the Father, the context of Revelation often uses these divine titles for Jesus, especially as Revelation emphasizes His role in judgment and eternity. So, while the verse itself does not use explicit quotation marks, it is widely interpreted as Jesus speaking about His eternal nature and divine authority.

Questions:

• Do JWs think Jesus was a liar, like the pharisees tried to accuse him of being, asking if he had a demon when He claimed God was His Father?
• If Jesus is Michael, why doesn’t the bible tell us Michael is the one Abraham looked forward to seeing in his day, especially since JWs say Michael was Jesus’ pre-earthly name? (Jesus wasn’t walking the earth in the flesh during Abraham’s day, so it would make sense if the bible referenced Michael)?
• Why would the jews pick up stones to kill Jesus after saying His Father is God?
• Since Jesus is not a liar, would he have misused the name, I AM, Alpha and Omega, First and Last, Beginning and End, Almighty for no reason or to deceive people?
• If Jesus comes directly from the Father and if the Father is His Father, how then is Jesus logically and divinely an angel? The nature doesn’t add up.

hello! i am an agnostic who is very interested in exploring various religions. i have done tons of research on JWs and i understand the negative experiences and perspectives that surround the organization. while i don’t condone everything organization has done im still interested in experiencing kingdom hall.

i was just curious what should i expect? what should i wear? does it matter what bible i use? are visitors outside of the faith extremely uncommon?