Elder Says My Daughter's Promotion & Job Success From Devil! (page 3)

Chalam

How about demotion and firing ? where do they come from? Any scriptures? Some come to mind. All I know is God is in control, not Satan. Satan gets to do some things for a while but he ain't God and never will be, that is just Satan's delusion. He is devoid of all power to those who believe and call upon the name above every name.

The witness mind is : if you do well financially Satan is blessing you and trying to get you out of the " truth" That is like saying God wants us to be broke, which He doesn't. He wants to bless us, physically, financially and spiritually like any good Father does. He doesn't over indulge us though, it is not His will that we get lazy and sit on our butts all day long. When you lose your job and lose your home Satan is also involved in screwing your life up and trying to get you out of the " truth ". Sounds like they focus on what Satan is doing and not Jesus. Stupidity at its best!! Amen! I like to keep in touch with the name above every name :) All the best, Stephen

StAnn

The more I learn about the WTS, the more I believe that it is truly run by Satan himself. That's probably why they know so much about his tactics. If I had to make up a religion that's sole purpose was to destroy people's faith and destroy people's lives, I could never come up with anything more effective than the WTS.

St. Ann

snowbird

Something to think about in the demotion and firing department.

Luke 16

The Story of the Crooked Manager

1 -2 Jesus said to his disciples, "There was once a rich man who had a manager. He got reports that the manager had been taking advantage of his position by running up huge personal expenses. So he called him in and said, 'What's this I hear about you? You're fired. And I want a complete audit of your books.'

3 -4 "The manager said to himself, 'What am I going to do? I've lost my job as manager. I'm not strong enough for a laboring job, and I'm too proud to beg. . . . Ah, I've got a plan. Here's what I'll do . . . then when I'm turned out into the street, people will take me into their houses.'

5 "Then he went at it. One after another, he called in the people who were in debt to his master. He said to the first, 'How much do you owe my master?'

6 "He replied, 'A hundred jugs of olive oil.'

"The manager said, 'Here, take your bill, sit down here—quick now— write fifty.'

7 "To the next he said, 'And you, what do you owe?'

"He answered, 'A hundred sacks of wheat.'

"He said, 'Take your bill, write in eighty.'

8 -9 "Now here's a surprise: The master praised the crooked manager! And why? Because he knew how to look after himself. Streetwise people are smarter in this regard than law-abiding citizens. They are on constant alert, looking for angles, surviving by their wits. I want you to be smart in the same way—but for what is right—using every adversity to stimulate you to creative survival, to concentrate your attention on the bare essentials, so you'll live, really live, and not complacently just get by on good behavior."

In other words, use your God-given brain for yourself!

Sylvia

Kinjiro

Stupidty and Absurdity aside, there is a lot of envy in those words...

Never forget that Envy is the only homage that mediocrity pays to true talent!

boyzone

My JW dad has got this one tagged nicely

If I'm unhappy and have problems, it because I left the truth

If I'm happy its because Satan looks after his own.

Either way he wins.

flipper

MINIMUS- Good thread. Yeah- The elders are always nosing around in our lives after we have stopped going for several years. That was an incredibly downgrading, disrespectful thing for the ex-Bethel elder to say ! Jeez. I liked your comeback comment about elders getting praise because of Satan. Good one. They are always LOOKING for an opportunity to dig dirt up on someone ! Ridiculous. With all the pessimistic comments they give towards their members- is it any wonder that most JW's have alow self esteem because they are always being put down by these scoundrels ? Well- You and your mom are classy people so I'm sure you have made your daughter feel good about her accomplishments . Hey - SOMEBODY has to- the elders sure won't

minimus

yup

Chalam

Hi Sylvia,

I am a fan of The Message. However, the problem with paraphrasing the bible and trying to principally convey the meaning is this. Firstly, one might not have a clear idea of what a passage is actually saying. Secondly, there is often application on several levels. Removing the actual original words one can loose this all together. The words themselves are actually quite important, I have come to appreciate that.

Anyhow, I like The Message as I have said but I use it as a cross reference these days.

Now in the passage you have quoted I never really quite agreed with Eugene's conclusion to the parable and it confused me when I first read it. Compare to the NIV for example

Luke 16:8-9 (New International Version)

8 "The master commended the dishonest manager because he had acted shrewdly. For the people of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own kind than are the people of the light. 9 I tell you, use worldly wealth to gain friends for yourselves, so that when it is gone, you will be welcomed into eternal dwellings.

So what is verse 9 saying? Try this version too

Luke 16:9 (New Century Version)

9 "I tell you, make friends for yourselves using worldly riches so that when those riches are gone, you will be welcomed in those homes that continue forever.

Jesus is saying the same thing as here

Luke 12:33 (New International Version)

33 Sell your possessions and give to the poor. Provide purses for yourselves that will not wear out, a treasure in heaven that will not be exhausted, where no thief comes near and no moth destroys.

And here

Matthew 6:20 (New International Version)

20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.

And here

Matthew 19:21 (New International Version)

21 Jesus answered, "If you want to be perfect, go, sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me."

If you check The Message at verse 8-9 it doesn't really say the same thing would you say?

All the best,

Stephen

snowbird

No, it doesn't say the same thing, unless you can make the connection that "so you'll live, really live" means being welcomed to your eternal home.

I don't know if others are able to reach that conclusion; I certainly hope they can.

Sylvia

troubled mind

When I began working my book study conductor asked How I liked my job ? When i told him I really did like it he said "that's too bad ,it would have been better to have a job you didn't like so much because otherwise it can become a snare "

What a jerk ! He didn't know I had prayed hard for this type of work to help my husband makes ends meet .....I felt it was a blessing . I worked with a nice group of women and a boss that let me have a flex schedule so I could be home after school for my kids .

They always do look on the negative side !

Elder Says My Daughter's Promotion & Job Success From Devil!