Religion and the War in Ukraine - What does the bible say?

[Amygdala]

Wow, this new article is a power hitter. 👌

 

https://www.jw.org/en/library/series/more-topics/religion-and-war-in-ukraine/

 

 

[Tortuga]

It has the Keep On The Watch! title too. I like that.

[Loopy]

First thing I thought of was..quite the heavy hail stone 🪨 there. 

 

 

[jwhess]

Right now it is What's New

But later, For those searching the Library, it is located under the Article Series "More Topics"

[Saffron]

4 minutes ago, Loopy said:

First thing I thought of was..quite the heavy hail stone 🪨 there. 

You aren't the only one. I just got a message from a friend about this saying that it looked like the GB was practicing for the judgment message. We laughed, she was joking. But yes, we were both surprised at the boldness here. 

[Nirex]

6 minutes ago, Loopy said:

First thing I thought of was..quite the heavy hail stone 🪨 there. 

 

 

But it also at the end asks to contact for more info.

 

When I see articles like that the first thing I look for after reading it is 'request a visit' at the bottom of the website. When that's gone, then I'll really wonder what's going on. A tech support glitch or something more.

[Saffron]

The arc door is still wide open, so it stands to reason that contact information will continue to be included in these articles. 

 

The message of judgment will probably be different, but that will only occur after the GT has started. We will learn more about that later. 

[Tortuga]

Here are two good reasons not to grow a beard...

 

[Thomas Walker]

It's old school.

 

During WW2, the society was openly critical of the Nazi's. During peacetime they laid into Church leaders who tried to get our preaching work banned, and our brothers locked up. They've named names before.

 

In more recent years, it's been 'seasoned with salt', but there's precedent.

[coolbrz731]

25 minutes ago, Tortuga said:

Here are two good reasons not to grow a beard...

 

Where are the beards?  I can't find them in all that tacky gold!!!

 

Talk about blowing a trumpet ahead of themselves.

[coolbrz731]

This article reminds me of this Kingdom News tract

The End of False Religion Is Near

 

@Thomas Walker, that is an old school, hard hitting article.  It requires a bit of courage to show that one to people.  Like the courage we needed for that tract and, a sliver of the courage we'll need to deliver the hailstones.

[Dages]

27 minutes ago, Thomas Walker said:

It's old school.

 

During WW2, the society was openly critical of the Nazi's. During peacetime they laid into Church leaders who tried to get our preaching work banned, and our brothers locked up. They've named names before.

 

In more recent years, it's been 'seasoned with salt', but there's precedent.

Yes, I like that a lot.

We are almost going Rutherford-style here  

 

Note today the Nazis and Catholics who'd like to break up this meeting, but by God's grace cannot do it!  (at 15 min)

[coolbrz731]

Oookkaaayyy.  My heart is going at 90mph.  I sucked up some courage and sent the article to my co-worker using Microsoft teams.  Here is his response:

Quote

Well, at least your group is being consistent. The Russian Orthodox owe Putin because he restored some freedoms they lost under the USSR. I've always been torn on this issue. I understand the neutral, non-violent position. It was used by both MLK and Ghandi. I just don't think everyone can hold that position. In some instances blood will be spilled. Heads will get cracked. At some point confrontations always lead to violence, no matter what the cause. Hinestly, I feel that people such as yourself, and Witnesses in general, are there so we have a civilized position to return to. I think that's always been true. I respect your adherence to the principles of your faith. It has to be difficult sometimes, but you have plenty of people to help you maintain those principles. I admire that.

Any suggestions on how I should respond, other than what I put, "Thanks! I appreciate that. It's too bad the rest of the world can't think like that."

[BLEmom]

5 minutes ago, coolbrz731 said:

Oookkaaayyy.  My heart is going at 90mph.  I sucked up some courage and sent the article to my co-worker using Microsoft teams.  Here is his response:

Any suggestions on how I should respond, other than what I put, "Thanks! I appreciate that. It's too bad the rest of the world can't think like that."

Imagine if everyone applied the same Bible principles. Then no blood would need to be spilled and no heads cracked. 
We understand that this will only happen when God is ready to do the head cracking himself. Daniel 2:44

[Saffron]

1 minute ago, BLEmom said:

We understand that this will only happen when God is ready to do the head cracking himself. Daniel 2:44

I'm going to have to find a way to work this in somewhere. 🤣🤣

[coolbrz731]

2 minutes ago, BLEmom said:

Imagine if everyone applied the same Bible principles. Then no blood would need to be spilled and no heads cracked. 
We understand that this will only happen when God is ready to do the head cracking himself. Daniel 2:44

I'm using that last line!  Excellent reasoning on his statement of "there will always be violence"

[Thomas Walker]

9 minutes ago, coolbrz731 said:

Any suggestions on how I should respond, other than what I put, "Thanks! I appreciate that. It's too bad the rest of the world can't think like that."

"It does wreck the idea that 'all roads lead to God'. After all, if some religions are pro-warfare, they're about as anti-God as you can get. JW's have stayed neutral in every war for the last 100 years. Not always easy, given how political things are."

[coolbrz731]

17 minutes ago, Thomas Walker said:

"It does wreck the idea that 'all roads lead to God'. After all, if some religions are pro-warfare, they're about as anti-God as you can get. JW's have stayed neutral in every war for the last 100 years. Not always easy, given how political things are."

I combined yours and @Saffron message.  Got a positive response.  It took courage for me to word it the way you put it, Brother Rutherfo-  I mean Walker!  

[Pjdriver]

1 hour ago, Thomas Walker said:

"It does wreck the idea that 'all roads lead to God'. After all, if some religions are pro-warfare, they're about as anti-God as you can get. JW's have stayed neutral in every war for the last 100 years. Not always easy, given how political things are."

Yes....and if it were not for our neutrality, we would fall apart. We come from so many backgrounds and experiences and upbringing we might not agree on anything. It’s only Jehovah that could possibly get 8 million people to be unified.  😊

[hatcheckgirl]

It’s a strong “sifting” article. Honestly, how they can’t see religion stinks to high heaven!🙄

 

Jehovah is nudging them a little closer to tip the whole lot out. We know they want to…..

[BLEmom]

1 hour ago, Saffron said:

I'm going to have to find a way to work this in somewhere. 🤣🤣

I thought you might like that 😜

[GeordieGirl]

I don't know if this has already been shared - I had a look but couldn't find it. 

 

It's another  'Keep on the Watch' article

 

Consider the following regarding prominent religious leaders and the war in Ukraine:

The head of the Russian Orthodox Church, Patriarch Kirill, has not said a word against Russian aggression. . . . 

 

 “Patriarch Kirill . . . has sent his strongest signal yet justifying his country’s invasion of Ukraine—describing the conflict as part of a struggle against sin.”

 

“Ukrainian Orthodox Church leader.......... also stated that killing Russian soldiers isn’t a sin.”

 

"We [the Ukrainian Council of Churches and Religious Organizations (UCCRO)] support the Armed Forces of Ukraine ....... we bless them in their defense of Ukraine from the aggressor, and offer our prayers for them.”

 

https://www.jw.org/en/library/series/more-topics/religion-and-war-in-ukraine/

 

 

[Doug]

I noticed in the box 'Jehovah's Witnesses Are Different' it says that we are "politically neutral'.

 

I guess that means we aren't religiously neutral, and we publish the facts for honest-hearted ones, calling out the hypocrisy of those who claim to follow Jesus.

[Susan Cook]

Very pointed article…..

[Doug]

6 hours ago, Tortuga said:

Here are two good reasons not to grow a beard...

 

It looks like the heads were photoshopped in.  Like a Tik Tok meme.  I can just see them going into a head-bob.