We have a brief FAQ on commenting guidelines. Perhaps some clarification might be helpful. We have come from an organization in which men love to Lord it over other men, and punish those who disagree. Such must not be the way with us if we are to be different and truly follow the pattern of our Lord.
We are emerging from organized religion into the wonderful light of our Lord Jesus. May no one enslave us again.
Sometimes we might read a comment from a very sincere and well-meaning brother (or sister) explaining his point of view on a subject, claiming that this was revealed to him by the Holy Spirit. That may well be. But to make the claim in print publicly is to set oneself up as a channel of God. For indeed if the Holy Spirit has revealed something to you, and then you reveal it to me, I am in a difficult position. How do I know the Holy Spirit has revealed it to you and it is not just your imagination? If I disagree, I am either going against the Holy Spirit, or I’m tacitly stating that the Holy Spirit is not working through you after all. It becomes a lose/lose scenario. And what if I should come to an alternate point of view, claiming that I too had this revealed to me by Holy Spirit, what then? Are we to set the Spirit against itself. Never may that happen!
Additionally we should be very cautious about offering advice. Stating something like, "this is one option you might consider…" is very different from saying, "this is what you should do…"
Likewise, when offering an interpretation of Scripture we must be very, very careful. When drawing uncharted areas on old maps, some cartographers put the caption, "Here be dragons". There are indeed dragons hidden in uncharted areas—the dragons of pride, presumptuousness, and self-importance.
There are some things in the Bible we cannot know for certain. This is because God intended it to be so. We have been given truth, but not all the truth. We have the truth we need. As we need more, more will be revealed. We have been given glimmers of some things and because we are sincere Bible students, we may yearn to know them; but that yearning, if unchecked, could turn us into demagogues. To claim certain knowledge when such is not revealed by Scripture is the trap that all organized religion has fallen prey to. The Bible must interpret itself. If we begin to offer our own interpretation as doctrine, if we turn personal speculation into the word of God, we will not end well.
So by all means, offer speculation when you think it beneficial, but label it well, and never take offense if someone else disagrees. Remember, it's just speculation.
Archived Comments
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Comment by lazarus on 2017-04-02 16:09:26
Good Reminders Meleti, making new Truth claims is a huge deal. Even if one uses scriptures to show the steps in coming to that conclusion, like the trinity doctrine. One can argue for God being a triune God. One can argue against that claim also.
In saying that, speculation is not always bad. The human mind seeks answers and it is natural to guess at possible answers when revelation/Scripture is not clear.
Another term for speculation is 'guesswork'. We may spend a lot of time and effort in examining speculation or someone's guesswork, that's ok, if you take it that way, If then you believe it haves some merit, then still a public opinion might be good to get feedback on the claims made.
Comment by Candace on 2017-04-02 12:14:32
I totes agree with this. Everyone is different so even if the spirit has guided one person in a certain way, that does not mean that way should be followed by everyone else. Its like if a health treatment works for you, you shouldn't be suggesting everyone else use the same treatment. Thanks Meleti!
Comment by eve04 on 2017-04-02 11:47:29
AMEN, AMEN and thank you Meleti
I was beginning to wonder what direction this was starting to go.
Comment by Dajo on 2017-04-02 17:17:21
Thanks.
Comment by wish4truth2 on 2017-04-02 18:10:25
Very well said Meleti, your words are very reassuring! We have left the organization (some of us have sacrificed much) for the sake of our love for our heavenly father and his Christ and our love of truth. We have been set free, so the last thing we want is to be enslaved again by men
Comment by Mowani on 2017-04-03 01:36:28
Amen!
Comment by John S on 2017-04-05 08:56:04
I can't help but say a few things here in my defense, because I'm sure some of this is aimed at me.
I will exit these discussions, as I do not wish to offend new thinkers, tired of being enslaved by dogma, not scripture. Right, and good!
First, I encouraged anyone so inclined to partake of the memorial celebration, to do it at home so you're not intimidated.
Can I be so bold as to remind us all that Jesus commanded Christians to observe his death by wine and bread?
Second, I did state we shouldn't fear the Armageddon / Return of Christ would occur immediately, and you have time to think, not just jump any which way...
Revelation ,(Christ's words) specifically itemize the things I related:
1. Satan returns from the heaven war, with allies, and nightmares for earth; specifically Christianity
2. Babyol the Great is destroyed
3. An 8th King arises, builds an image of a wild beast whose death stroke got healed, and compels all the earth to take a mark symbolizing worship is being given to it
4. Two Witnesses would arise and an all-out contest of the true God and Christ verses Satanic powers
This is just a broad re-tell/recap of scriptures Jesus gives us.
These have to occur BEFORE Jesus returns, according to Revelation.
I did state I THINK BG is the Catholic church. It's the only thing I believe fits the description in full;
NOT WT's bias "World Empire of False Religion"
Ridiculous. I've attended scores of churches that have never murdered, got intimate with government, etc. There is no world organization of false religion, it was just WT's way of presenting themselves as, "Oh we're the only ones who have truth, and LOVE one another"...
More garbage.
So, as I say, I try to not claim to be any "inspired prophet"
but the holy ones are commanded to bear witness to Jesus, and his prophecies. I have done this with a broad brush stroke in passing, but do not ever claim to be the 'next FDS, or a special prophet.
I do resent anyone saying that to me. I am very serious about keeping Jesus Christ's voice the one and only one we should heed, not my own interpretation.
Thank you, and sorry if some here were offended. As I said, I may be in the way, and know when I am not appreciated....just let me know. I am not a little hurt by the remarks here;
" I wondered how long you would let this continue..." ???
This hurts, really.
Comment by Smoldering Wick on 2017-04-07 21:56:31
For all who cannot speak their mind and heart, the word translated as "patience" in the revised NWT actually means "To suffer as long as the spirit takes."
Having had loyal association with Jehovah's Witnesses over the last half century, I think I speak more freely than many. I was not born a Witness and quickly discovered how many were. My personal experience helped many because of this.
Why I joined is the real question. Why I had to survive a mind-bending event is another. While this was my initial experience, I had to give up telling it to spare those trying to follow me in.
So my first and foremost purpose was to correct all who were born into it to stop saying "I'm a Jehovah's Witness" or "I'm a JW." To me it was derogatory to lower Jehovah's name to a label as if I'm a "John's Son" being that my father's name was John. Which also raises my ire today seeing so many with "JW.org" splashed all around them. When I ran the gauntlet and left my family and friends to join Jehovah's Witnesses, the common, derogatory question of the day was "Why would you ever wanna be a Jay-Dub?" So why would I take pride in wearing a JW.org insignia?
While I don't consider myself to be a picky person and not wishing to offend anyone, I do consider the name "Jehovah" to be treated respectfully (knowing that some insist "Yahweh" to be more accurate, but then so is Jesus to be called "Yeshua" or "Yehohshua" if we want to be more Hebraic).
All in all, being one of Jehovah’s Witnesses has been been my best education. Why? Because they taught me how to separate fact from fiction, my point being that they built their religion around exposing the flaws of all the rest. To be clear, that's not how I intended to build my religion. The present problem? Not everyone's like me. Neither should I expect them to be on the same page as me. While I learned to separate fact from fiction as the present leaders reinforce fiction over fact, I can't expect those of my own family to be as me just because I told them the difference.
All organizations that allow for choice, whether religious, political or otherwise, must abide by the economic law of supply and demand. Without even addressing the hierarchical powers to add or take away flawed teachings and change direction, economics holds all the power. Simply put, the organization is more important to its hierarchy supplied by the demand of its stronger adherents at the expense of the weaker, which is opposite to Jesus command against stumbling his little lambs.
Having said that, regardless of what corrections we might feel need to be made, we can't be the ones making them. Whether we are angry, disillusioned or otherwise mystified, please remember, Jesus (I e sous', Ye shu a, Yehoh shu a) actually means "Jehovah (or Yahweh) is salvation." Which means that Jesus very name on its own honours his father's name. To my knowledge nothing has changed since Peter said "There is no salvation in anyone else, for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must get saved.” (Ac 4:12)
Endure for as long as it takes, my little children and friends,
SW1Reply by Thaddeus on 2017-08-25 17:09:40
Thank you SW for that.
It was encouraging, and appreciated.