Can you honestly compare Phillip helping the Ethiopian eunuch to a JW helping a non-JW?

Question

What is the danger of this kind of comparison?

Answer 1

The danger here is he didn't have to serve a organization.

Answer 2

The difference, as someone else stated, is the presence of the Holy Spirit working through Phillip to learn from the Scriptures, not to learn from an uninspired "bible aid" (that originates from an organization that has had many errors in the past) about the what the Bible teaches.

In the case of the ethiopian Eunich, he would be encouraged to study the scriptures himself, WITHOUT "bible aids" and see if what Phillip was saying was actually true.  (Just as the Bereans tested what Paul taught - Acts 17:11).  Jehovah's Witnesses are in stark contrast to this, following every demand and interpretation of the Governing Body as though it were directly from the mouth of God.  Any disagreement that the GB has this right (dispite their errant track record), is sure to get you disfellowshipped, shunned, and in the eyes of JWs, loss of good standing with "Jehovah" and potential distruction at Armageddon. They believe that God can not be found apart from the direction of sinful, errant men.

The teaching that God dispenses truth and salvation through a specific organization is nothing new. The Catholic church has been doing the exact same thing for almost 2,000 years.

But as Jesus said, it is HE who is "The way, the truth and the life!"    Sinful men corrupt the Word of God, but JESUS IS THE WORD!  So better to cut out the middle-men, and kneel before our Saviour!

Edit: Oh yeah, thanks to Seek and Find for reminding me of this excellent point!!!  The Eunich was baptized immediately following this disscussion, a far cry from the average year it takes for a person to earn baptism and the right to be called a Jehovah's Witness.  They acknowledge that Phillip, who was led by the Holy Spirit, had the authority to do so.  They believe this authority no longer exists among humans, yet they still cling his right to teach, and claim that they, too have this right, even though they are uninspired.

They Pick and choose, pick and choose what they want from the Scriptures.

Answer 3

....just like they compare themselves to Noah and his family, the only ones that survived the flood.....

Answer 4

Do JW's actually help non-JW's?

Answer 5

I don't see a comparison this is why.....The one who had the scroll in the first place was the eunuch someone didn't come to him with it so already you could see that he was interested.Also there was no other holy spirit directed literature except exclusively the scroll of Issiah.No Watchtower in sight.Phillip did not take months to convince him of the message as witnesses do.Also he did not have to prepare 120 questions to go over with the governing bodies

representative's (the elders) and He just had to understand THE REAL GOSPEL MESSAGE about Jesus christ and who he was and when that was accomplished (not weeks and months of indoctrination) LOOK a body of water what prevents me from being baptized? "Well you haven't been attending meetings regularly and you haven't been preaching the good news yet and ...........on an on.......No I see absolutely no comparison.NONE! What is the danger of this kind of comparison ....Having to face that everything done in the organization is NOT done by the bible.It's hard to swallow but it is the truth.  

Edit :Also the eunuch was reading a prophecy ;He was not reading a gospel or an account of the acts of the apostles or a letter from Paul .These are self explanitory in most cases and certainly we don't need a detailed explaination of these to find the gospel message of Jesus Christ it is plain.When reading prophecy it is a little more dificult unless you were there at the time to see the fulfilment of the prophecy which Phillip was so it was not a mystical revelation understanding to phillip he was merely relateing what he himself was an eye witness to .No need for aproval of this teaching from the governing body first.

Answer 6

You clearly miss the point of the scriptural account. People do need help understanding scriptures, no matter what you may believe.

SO Nina, heres the question: Who really helped the Ethiopian?

Answer 7

The danger to this is JWs might take exception to being referred to as eunuchs.

Answer 8

Yes. Phillip was actively engaged in the preaching work that Jesus assigned his followers before he ascended to heaven. JWs are involved in the same Bible-preaching and teaching campaign.

How many people here that speak negatively of JWs are involved in public preaching and teaching? None of them. They go to church and sit on their hands while they pay a professional clergyman to do the preaching for them. They fool themselves with the thought that Christians are saved by grace alone. That gives them--and you--the license to sit back and do nothing.

So, can one honestly compare Phillip helping the Ethiopian eunuch to a JW helping a non-JW? The answer is yes, whether you agree with that or not.

Answer 9

No. They do not teach the message of the Bible. They ike to point out to people that the others are the ones that Jesus will say that He never knew them. In fact, JWs might get those words from Jesus

Answer 10

Anyone that uses the truth from the Bible is somewhat like Philip. This is true since the scriptures are inspired by God and he used his Holy Spirit to have them written.

Holy spirit is at work either way.  

Answer 11

There is no comparison. Phillip taught the eunuch the truth about Jesus. JW's don't even know the truth about Jesus so how can they teach it to anyone. In addition Phillip was led by the Holy Spirit. To JW's the Holy Spirit is nothing but an impersonal force. How could they be lead by it?

Answer 12

The Ethiopian was reading aloud from the book of Isaiah and was asked the question if he really knew what he was reading. He replied that how could he unless someone showed him.

With Jehovah's Witnesses we teach what is in the bible. Not according to one religion or another but what it really says. Over the years many of the philosophies of men have entered into most all Churches teachings and have left off from teaching the real truth.

As an example the teaching that a body has a spirit that leaves us at death and continues living some where else. That came out of the dark ages and it was a blend with Greek Philosophy but most churches today still teach this a fact even though it is fiction.

So to listen to someone well versed in the Bible and it's teachings can not be a bad thing when it takes you back to pure worship.

Answer 13

Yes.