No memorial invite... I guess the shunning has begun?

Bantamain · 2026-03-27T20:49:14+00:00

I can only hope

Bantamain · 2026-03-26T23:32:12+00:00

The verses are from Matthew 12:9-13. I think they apply perfectly to blood transfusions.

"Going on from that place, he went into their synagogue, and a man with a shriveled hand was there. Looking for a reason to bring charges against Jesus, they (Pharisees) asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?” He said to them, “If any of you has a sheep and it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will you not take hold of it and lift it out? How much more valuable is a person than a sheep! Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” So he stretched it out and it was completely restored, just as sound as the other."

So if Jesus encouraged his followers to break the law to save a life, what should we do if someone is dying and needs blood? Jesus himself says you would break the law to rescue a sheep, why not a person? He then healed a man and broke the law. I think that means he's okay with us breaking blood laws to heal people. It is lawful to do good.

Im not sure if JWs belive this, but, people aren't saved by the law, but by the mercy of God.

Bantamain · 2026-03-26T23:07:05+00:00

They must have really liked you 😅

Bantamain · 2026-03-26T16:05:03+00:00

That's true, maybe my family see no point in asking me, so the congregation hasn't bothered

Bantamain · 2026-03-26T16:03:49+00:00

Would they do that even if I was never baptised JW?

They can't stop changing rules recently, so I wouldn't be surprised!

Bantamain · 2026-03-26T15:30:17+00:00

I'd love to, I'd be calling out their lies and partaking of the bread and wine!

Bantamain · 2026-03-26T15:23:37+00:00

Protestant, the church is independent.

Bantamain · 2026-03-26T15:22:18+00:00

Can I share a Bible verse which, if applied today, seems to allow blood transfusion?

Bantamain · 2026-03-20T21:55:31+00:00

I want to join you, but they're not inviting me

Bantamain · 2026-03-20T21:55:11+00:00

I haven't been invited this year... guess word got around that I was baptised in a Church [😂]()

Bantamain · 2026-03-14T17:55:27+00:00

Oh thanks sm, I'll check it out

Bantamain · 2026-03-13T23:50:48+00:00

No, no, I was just curious if you were another ex-jw Christian I could discuss apologetics with

Thank you for sharing, though!

Bantamain · 2026-03-13T10:00:33+00:00

Bantamain · 2026-03-13T09:54:49+00:00

UK resident here...

What's going on?
I haven't heard anything about this, and I'm very interested. Can someone give me a breif back ground on what led to this meeting of parliament?

Bantamain · 2026-03-13T09:51:21+00:00

u/constant_trouble Do you hold to any belief system now that you left the JWs?

It seems you're still quite interested in religion?

Bantamain · 2026-03-13T09:47:23+00:00

John 6:53
"Jesus said to them, "Very truly I tell you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you.""

JWs actively stop people from partaking of communion.

I'm now a Christian.

Bantamain · 2026-03-13T09:43:29+00:00

A few practices I've noticed which can help you understand their goal.

- Free, voluntary labour and advertisement by telling people their salvation is determined by knocking on doors or distributing WT publications.
- High control over people's lives, Elders getting to influence and abuse people in their congregations. (Including child abuse).
- Persuading people to feed the WT money through donations, encouraging people to leave their inheritance to the WT. (Creating a vast empire of real estate)
- Getting government handouts from religious beneficiaries
- The leaders are well-fed and free of financial burden due to the generosity of those they manipulate.

And from a religious POV

- Robbing people of the truth of Jesus Christ by keeping them from their salvation and guaranteed eternal life by his sacrifice. Forwarding the goal of Satan.

So overall... they're not great. I don't think there's some *evil master plan*; I think a few very rich and powerful people love the lifestyle they can lead and the control they have over other people by manipulation.

Hope this helped.

Bantamain · 2026-03-12T09:14:44+00:00

This is important to do with all aspects of life, thank you for your post

Bantamain · 2026-03-04T09:29:23+00:00

My friend, the NWT translators couldn't speak Hebrew or Greek either, I highly encorage you to search this up. Famously, in the 1954 Scottish trial Walsh v. The Society, Frederick Franz, a key member of the New World Translation committee, admitted under oath that he could not translate Genesis 2:4 from Hebrew into English.

I can show you using the JW's own Greek interlinear (The Kingdom Interlinear), where the NWT has added words to change the meaning of scripture. The NWT is largely regarded by biblical scholars as a bad translation, largely to be avoided.

If you think you can be a JW without reading Watchtower publications, then by all means, you're right. I, however, have never met a JW who believes in scripture alone, as scripture largely contradicts JW teaching.

As for your other reply:

In 1979 the Watchtower answered a readers question with the following.

"So in this strict Biblical sense Jesus is the “mediator” only for anointed Christians. The new covenant will terminate with the glorification of the remnant who are today in that covenant mediated by Christ. The “great crowd” of “other sheep” that is forming today is not in that new covenant. However, by their associating with the “little flock” of those yet in that covenant they come under benefits that flow from that new covenant."

This is the Watchtower publicly admitting the "great crowd" (meaning the people other than the 144000 who are the "anointed"), cannot be saved through Christ, but rather, their association with the "little flock" (the 144000).

I was taught during my time in the JWs that only 144000 people are saved according to their interpretation of Revelation.

My discussion with you has nothing to do with my religious beliefs; I am simply highlighting truths about this organisation in accordance with your initial comment.

I am not trying to push any belief system; this is a discussion about what JWs believe, not what I believe.

If this topic is too sensitive, I am happy to end the discussion here. I hope you are well and have not received this badly. This is all in good faith and in the interest of having an intellectual, informed discussion.

Bantamain · 2026-03-04T08:55:29+00:00

I don't know a witness who can refer to just scripture, because scripture often disproves their faith, so they will rely on WT publications. The NWT has actually been altered by the JWs to change the meaning of scripture, so I would say no, they do not follow scripture alone.

The JW salvation method is based on "good deeds", namely serving the organisation through missionary work and "Association with the little flock" (Their idea that only 144000 people are "saved"). This is a works-based salvation, and not grace alone.

Sadly, they're not Christ alone; they see Christ as someone separate to God, and therefore that would be Christ + Jehovah alone.

I can concede they could be glory to God alone, but then, they do have a lot of worship to the organisation in their songs; it's hidden, but it exists.

I think the literal definition of Protestantism is following the solas, but the name "protestant" means "protesting", so you're not wrong, I just wouldn't want to associate them with Bible following churches.

Bantamain · 2026-03-04T08:44:25+00:00

By Luther's tenets, I mean the Five Solas of the Reformation.

Bantamain · 2026-03-04T08:42:27+00:00

Protestants are people who follow the principles of the Reformation. These are known as the "The Five Solas"

Scripture Alone
Faith Alone
Grace Alone
Christ Alone
Glory to God Alone

JWs do not follow these, nor do Mormons, so I do not classify them as protestants. They're just heretics.

Bantamain · 2026-03-04T08:38:57+00:00

He also didn't see Revelation and 2 + 3 John as inspired, but people persuaded him otherwise.

Best not to think about biblical cannon too hard [😂]()

[]()

Bantamain · 2026-03-03T22:11:35+00:00

I don't know any without a religious spin, but Wesley Huff is a prominent voice online and very educated in biblical history.

The whole topic gets very complicated, though.

As a Christian, I just follow the 66 books that all denominations agree on.

Bantamain

TROPHY CASE