Syrian Refugees

[Old]

 Saudi-Arabia is interested in hoarding the profit from the believers on their manditory pilgrimages, but not willing to take up a single refugee because that would destabilize their country.

 

Various news sources contradict your statement. Here is one:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/12/saudi-arabia-says-reports-of-its-syrian-refugee-response-false-and-misleading

 

I feel that it is in poor taste for a Christian to make polemic statements about any county or peoples, just not our job. Our job is proclaiming the Kingdom, not taking sides on propaganda. We are neutral right?

 

[ChocoBro]

Various news sources contradict your statement. Here is one:

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/sep/12/saudi-arabia-says-reports-of-its-syrian-refugee-response-false-and-misleading

 

I feel that it is in poor taste for a Christian to make polemic statements about any county or peoples, just not our job. Our job is proclaiming the Kingdom, not taking sides on propaganda. We are neutral right?

 

True but it was directed less at the political side of the thing than the brotherly love aspect of their religious system. I do not at all perceive muslim countries as being loving to their "brothers" in dire straits the way they constantly profess to be.

 

Now, whether Saudi Arabia is lying in the article you posted or whether the United Nations is telling the truth about the amount of refugees / residents is more of a political debate I suppose. Still, I have not known the Saudi Arabian government to be that forthcoming to suddenly issue a hundred thousand passports.

[hatcheckgirl]

I can't help but wonder why the muslims are travelling thousands of miles in the opposite direction to ideologically and religiously different countries, and not to their more wealthier neighbours who have the means and the religious infrastructure to accommodate them?  Probably more than religious ties are pulling them to Europe, and not to their neighbouring richer muslim counterparts.

 

In any effect, doesn't this show that muslims do not have a religious brotherhood they can rely on?  It doesn't take rocket science to see the disunity in all religions, and I think this sad human saga shows that.

[ChocoBro]

 

 

In any effect, doesn't this show that muslims do not have a religious brotherhood they can rely on?  It doesn't take rocket science to see the disunity in all religions, and I think this sad human saga shows that.

 

Precisely what I meant.

[ChocoBro]

Help.....

 

we had several Nigerians visit our Kingdom Hall recently. I chatted with a number of them.

 

Now, there were two lads that seemed very interestend in bible truth, that have now been moved to another facility. I lost contact with them

 

There's two other guys that came on Sunday and I've been pushed from all sides to study the bible with them.

 

I can't help it, but I just don't feel these guys are really interested. It's the body language, it's the way they seemed totally bored out of their mind when I spoke about biblical matters and just glanced around like they were looking for something... of more value to them. One of the two asked me if I could get him a smartphone because he is eager to learn more from the website. I told him I'd get him some literature in English language and he seemed slightly disappointed.

 

I don't know. Am I relying to much on my intuition and experience in regard to human nature? Am I being too prejudgemental and skeptical? How do I deal with these guys, how do figure out for sure what it is that they are after?

 

I feel somewhat pushed into cold water here and I am actually a little bit upset at the sisters that have pushed me into all of this.

 

And what's even more important... how do I find these guys that were actually really interested in the bible. . . 

[hatcheckgirl]

I don't know. Am I relying to much on my intuition and experience in regard to human nature? Am I being too prejudgemental and skeptical? How do I deal with these guys, how do figure out for sure what it is that they are after?

 

I feel somewhat pushed into cold water here and I am actually a little bit upset at the sisters that have pushed me into all of this.

 

And what's even more important... how do I find these guys that were actually really interested in the bible. . . 

 

Maybe think of it as a team effort?  You cannot be expected (by Jehovah) to fulfill their all spiritual needs as their first point of contact.  You may be the one who does the planting, someone later does some watering.  You may even be the one who does the watering and studying after someone else did the planting.  By the same token, you play your part and Jehovah looks after the rest.  Don't feel it is your responsibility for their growth, because that is their responsibility before Jehovah to respond to his message.  I think it is thrilling that you are at the forefront and are putting yourself there to help these starving ones. 

 

But you are correct that you need to listen to your intuition.  Cautious as serpents, using your discernment because you are in a totally new preaching environment, and that may include preaching to some unsavoury elements too.  I don't imagine Jehovah wants you to put yourself in a situation where you are going to get taken advantage of, ie buying smartphones, giving money, etc.  If you pursue with spiritual discussions as your main goal (help in other ways where it is practical of course), the message will soon suss them out.

 

Luke 8:12 Those alongside the road are the ones who have heard, and then the Devil comes and takes the word away from their hearts so that they may not believe and be saved.

 

Matt 13:23 As for the one sown upon the fine soil, this is the one hearing the word and getting the sense of it, who really does bear fruit and produces, this one 100 times more, that one 60, the other 30.

 

Great to hear your experiences, Ruben!

[LindaViktoria]

I remember a couple of years ago a group of men came to our kingdom hall and said they were palestinians that were witnesses. They needed help with somewhere to live. They said: witnesses always help eachother out.We could smell the extreme tobacco smell all around them and said that we needed to talk to the elders first and that they could come back later. They never came. We have a romanes group in our congregation, and sometimes when they are out in service the beggars ( recent years a LOT of romanes beggars from Romania have come to Sweden) listen for ten minutes and then asks for money. I was out in service when we met a man like that. When the sister I was out with gave him a few pennies, he got very upset and left. So this is a new kind of district and I think its good to use your instinct. The romanes people who are truly interested never ask for money or material stuff. They come to the meetings anyway.

Edited October 27, 2015 by LindaViktoria