XPost: alt.religion.jehovahs-witn, talk.religion.misc   
   From: Frank@anywhere.com   
      
   > > Question to Mark..   
   > > Why would it be so wrong for a JW to get involved with "Doctors without   
   > > borders" ?? Why would the GB discourage such activities?   
   > > Why would it be so wrong to help some child walk??   
      
      
   "Mark Sornson"  wrote in message   
   news:3F5E1B3F.A3E16672@hp.com...   
   >   
   > I assume this is for me.   
      
   Yes..   
      
   > I never said it would be "wrong" for anyone to get   
   > involved with "Doctors Without Borders".  Without knowing   
   > more about them, I have no opinion of whether it would   
   > be "right" or "wrong" to do so.  Believe it or not,   
   > there are JWs who are doctors and nurses.  You'd have   
   > to ask them directly if you want a more expert opinion.   
      
   But certainly not encouraged , right?   
      
   >   
   > If there are no political overtones or spiritual overtones   
   > that might connect them directly with what JWs might   
   > view as the promotion of false worship or nationalism, the   
   > JW GB would probably have no direct opinion on whether   
   > individuals so qualified should get involved with those   
   > organizations.   
      
   What about something like the school PTA... Would that be discouraged? I was   
   told that it was.. I could never figure out what could be so harmful about   
   getting involved with the schools..   
      
   >   
   > The focus of the JW GB is to help people follow Jesus'   
   > admonition to 'seek first the kingdom' (Matt 6:33).   
   > To JWs, those are spiritual pursuits.  Putting 'the kingdom   
   > first' isn't an argument against the absolute value of other   
   > pursuits (such as any material charity work), but it ('the   
   > kingdom') is the only pursuit that the JW GB has authority   
   > to promote.   
      
   No one would disagree with that.. But many charity groups dont have any   
   religious affiliation, but do good works.. why wouldnt that be encouraged??   
      
   >   
   > To go back to a point another poster took note of,   
   > Jesus pointed out that the poor would always be present.   
   > Christianity wasn't a solution to material poverty,   
   > it was primarily a solution to 'spiritual poverty'   
   > (cf. Matt 5:3).  In the first century, certain Christians   
   > (according to the NT) had the ability to perform   
   > miraculous healings.  Given the outcome of history,   
   > it certainly doesn't appear that first century Christianity   
   > made a big splash in the world helping crippled children   
   > walk, and helping everyone get healed from their various   
   > physical maladies.  Evidently it too focused primarily   
   > on spreading its message about the Kingdom of God ruled   
   > by Christ, not its ability to do charitable works.   
      
   We don't live in the stone age anymore.. We have the material means of   
   making the world around us a better place.. lets do it, collectively and   
   individually. I think God will take good works wherever he can get them..   
   Religious intentions or not.   
      
   >   
   > The major point JWs are making is that even though   
   > things like Doctors Without Borders and other works   
   > of material charity may have value, most, if not all   
   > of those works pay no attention to Jesus' counsel to   
   > "seek the kingdom first".   
      
   Why should it.. its just some doctors from all walks of life helping   
   children See, hear, breathe, walk and talk. Its simply good clean charity.   
   The Lord made it very clear, without charity, we are nothing!   
      
   >Given how easy it is to   
   > get sucked into such things 110%, "the kingdom" gets   
   > put in last place -- or gets transformed into human   
   > ideology, and is used as a 'hook' to mislead people   
   > down a path of mere human invention.   
      
   So, dont get sucked into it 110%. This is called balance.   
      
   >   
   > Jesus said if people put the kingdom first, all other   
   > things of a material concern would be added to them.   
   > That is what JWs have faith in and promote.   
      
   I'm not sure I understand.. Are you saying that if someone believes and   
   becomes a JW, his cleft palate will be fixed? Or are you saying that it   
   really doesn't matter that he has a cleft palate and we should just be happy   
   that he is now a JW, since there "Will always be poor among us"????   
      
      
   > If you want to promote material concerns first, that is your   
   > business and your right.  You are trying to make JWs   
   > accountable to man for NOT seeking material charities   
   > first.  JWs feel that each of us are accountable for   
   > ourselves alone for our response to Jesus' direction   
   > to seek the kingdom first.   
      
   I believe it is becoming of anyone that calls themselves Christian, to Serve   
   on another , JW or not. To ease suffering, bound up the wounds, and teach   
   them the gospel.. All of it.. not just hand them a Bible..   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)