San Francisco or Bay Area Members?

by nibbled 109 Replies latest jw friends

  • nibbled
    nibbled

    wantarevolution I sent you a PM.

    Open mind have you met wantarevolution?

    LisaRose not sure I need a mom type, but love sounds good! Shall we arrange to have tea? I can go where BART can take me! :)

    Balaamsass are you agnostic/atheist or a believer? ... and your wife? Will you be visiting SF anytime soon?

    AGuest not sure I need a mom, but thanks drawing the lines clearly! :) I'll check out that link. What "choice" are you referring to? I was chosen, and accepted the invitiation. ... Side note, hilarious. I'm at work, someone just walked into my area and the area is quiet. He said "where is everyone today?" and as he walked away he said "Did we have the rapture and no one told me?" So very out of the blue! I busted out laughing. I needed that.

    Thank you all who responded, and even those not close. If we get PMs do those go to our email? I welcome meeting SF visitors.

    We live in an area if I wore a t-shirt which said I <3 Jesus, or I believe in God, it'd probably be taken for an "ironic" t-shirt. :)

  • traveb
    traveb

    My wife and I are in our 30's and live in the south bay and were both "born in". At this point we just do the minimum to keep our families happy and the elders off our backs. As for our beliefs, I'm not so sure. Somedays I believe in God and sometimes I don't .

  • nibbled
    nibbled

    There's the Supper Club, then there's the Last Supper Club.

    So after I posted today, I had a meeting with a woman I don't know. At the end of the meeting she asked if she could ask me a personal question—"Sure!" I replied, my curiousity peaked with my blood pressure.

    She said that she recalled that at Christmas she'd heard I hadn't gone to the team party because I didn't celebrate and she wanted to ask why?

    I sort of shrugged my shoulders and said that I was raised without it.

    Then she shifted slightly and suddenly she looked like a sister on the stage sitting at the table for a Theocratic Ministry school part, and I knew what was coming (and the table was the perfect size—if only we weren't dressed in casual clothes the scene would be complete!) and in the JW-perfected demeanor she asked how I was raised, with all respect and politeness for the personal question.

    I said that I had been raised as a Jehovah's Witness. She perked up and I wondered which way this moment was about to go...

    She said that she had too! And I tilted my head and asked with a tone of curiosity if she was still a Jehovah's Witness. (It's funny, the feeling I had was as if she was about to learn I was disfellowshipped or something.) She explained that she is, technically, and explained her story which meant being apart from the organization for many years, having moved away from drama to our area and simply not picking up the routine here, thanks to questions she'd had and what she'd left behind in the congregation "back home".

    How marvelous! Suddenly not only do I have the one person with whom to talk to who is herself seeking answers to questions (so a stage or so behind where I am now) but I also have a partner-in-crime with whom I hope to meet others with. There was something scary about inviting strangers to do something, but I'm dying to meet people and have someone know me, rather than all my friends who know nothing about my Watched life!

    Thus, the first invitation to the Last Supper Club.

    I'll have to see if she'd be interested in joining, but I have the courage to open an invitation. It seems traveb, open mind, wantarevolution are immediately local, as well as LisaRose and AGuest a little further drive away. Are you all comfortable with meeting up? Please send me a private message with your comfort level on meeting people—whether that's you'd be happy to join me for dinner, but not with an open group (protecting identity) or you're open and with the group, or not at all.

    I am most interested in those couples mentioned first in the list as it sounds like you're in the same 'profile' as I am (only you guys have a +1 for the journey), and are 'seekers' with questions and faith and family ties "in the truth" which bind you in some manner.

    My co-worker's story is nearly a mirror image of where I was a year ago in learning who the Truth is.

    Even if you all aren't able to make it, I'm so happy to know that I am not alone! :)

    I'm thinking a bring-a-dish style? Or I can do pasta! There will be bread and wine, and the idea is straight up first-century classy—we won't get drunk but we'll have a great time, and you know—"where two or more..."

    So excited!!! Let's make a plan for February?

    PS No one is disqualified; I show love towards all, even if it's ' especially to those in the family of faith'.

  • Purza
    Purza

    I'm now in the South Bay and BART doesn't come to San Jose. . . yet. However, I am used to driving all over the bay area. I have been to other apostafests and have met and made friends with a few former dubs. I'm open to new friendships.

    Purza

  • nibbled
    nibbled

    I don't want to host an "apostafest". I take apostasy seriously, though I am able to use Strong's to define it from a scriptural perspective as opposed to the organization's Insight on the Scriptures.

    I'm not even sure that the people I was hoping to meet would be comfortable with that label.

    Can you help me understand Purza?

  • AGuest
    AGuest

    AGuest not sure I need a mom, but thanks drawing the lines clearly! :)

    LOLOLOL! No worries, dear Nibbled (peace to you!) - it was meant as a joke.

    I'll check out that link.

    Cool-ness!

    What "choice" are you referring to? I was chosen, and accepted the invitiation.

    The choice between belief in God... and not, dear one. If you mean chosen/accepted as I think you do (I couldn't find where you clarified), then... praise JAH... and WELCOME! If not... mmmmmm... well, praise JAH and welcome, anyway! LOLOLOL!

    ... Side note, hilarious. I'm at work, someone just walked into my area and the area is quiet. He said "where is everyone today?" and as he walked away he said "Did we have the rapture and no one told me?" So very out of the blue! I busted out laughing. I needed that.

    I'm thinking you DID mean what I thought you did! Feel free to pay other like ones a visit on the site I linked.

    Peace!

    YOUR servant and a doulos of Christ,

    SA

  • nibbled
    nibbled

    So happy to give you laugh! :)

    So I'll say, praise Yah. You know "J" didn't exist until a few (hundred) years ago? And I was wondering if you'd ever thought about the letters of the original Tetragrammaton before anyone did anything other than transliterate it. I ask because you seem so astute. One day it dawned on me that was a bunch of crock that "nobody knows how to pronounce the divine name". Before I let you in on the well kept secret perpetuated by those who were hardened so as not to be able to see nor hear, I'll let you see what you find on your own in this Hebrew game of hang man. I'll also offer clues, if you'd like! :)

  • AGuest
    AGuest
    So happy to give you laugh! :)

    So happy to make YOU happy! LOLOLOL!

    So I'll say, praise Yah. You know "J" didn't exist until a few (hundred) years ago?

    I did know that English letter "J" did not exist in the Greek (where the letter "I" was used to represent the "j" sound, but did not have the little foot). My understanding is that the Hebrew yodh is a "j", however... representing the "/j/" sound, which is pronounced in English as a "y".

    Since the name of the MOST Holy One of Israel is JaHVeH (and not "JeHoVaH"), JAH is actually more accurate, although PRONOUNCED as "Yah." This might help you see what I mean:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yodh

    And I was wondering if you'd ever thought about the letters of the original Tetragrammaton before anyone did anything other than transliterate it. I ask because you seem so astute.

    I have... and (smile) thank you... and sorry? (smile, again)

    One day it dawned on me that was a bunch of crock that "nobody knows how to pronounce the divine name".

    I agree!!!

    Before I let you in on the well kept secret perpetuated by those who were hardened so as not to be able to see nor hear, I'll let you see what you find on your own in this Hebrew game of hang man. I'll also offer clues, if you'd like! :)

    Well, I'm not sure how much of a game I can give you. I know the name of the MOST High God, the MOST Holy One of Israel to be JAH... of Armies. Or JAH'VEH. Which means "JAH Who Breathes (Armies [of spirit beings]) Into Existence." Many had His name as part of theirs'. For example:

    Eli'Jah, which means "My God... is JAH."

    Abi'Jah, which means "My Father... is JAH."

    Jah'El (Joel), which means "JAH is God."

    Mischa'El (Michael), which means "Chosen of JAH."

    Ben'Jah'Min, which means "Son of [a man of] JAH."

    Or my Lord, JAH eShua (Yeheshua, YeHoShua... or, in English, Joshua), which means "JAH is Salvation/Salvation of JAH".

    Or, say, Yere'mi'JAH... Nehe'mi'JAH... Isa'i'JAH... Ze'chari'JAH... Ze'phani'JAH... etc.

    Then, there's words like "hallel u JAH, which means "Praise you, JAH."

    Tag. You're "it."

    Peace!

    YOUR servant and a doulos of Christ,

    SA

  • AGuest
    AGuest

    Double post. Pardon.

  • nibbled
    nibbled

    Oh hon, I hear you, but I'm not sure you're hearing me!

    I did know that English letter "J" did not exist in the Greek

    There was no letter J anywhere in any language, English, Greek, Hebrew, Latin, Etruscan, etc.

    where the letter "I" was used to represent the "j" sound, but did not have the little foot

    There was no J sound either.

    The letter J came to be just because someone wanted to make the letter "I" pretty. The sound J came into use eventually after there was a new letter.

    The letter J and the sound J simply did not exist.

    My understanding is that the Hebrew yodh is a "j", ... representing the "/j/" sound, pronounced in English as a "y".

    The sound is as a "Y" because there was no "J" either as a letter or a sound. People have replaced all the transliterated Hebrew Y's with the new letter and sound J. Europeans who are much more culturally aware and understand much more than us Americans about linguistics still pronouce the new letter J most often as a Y sound. Johan Sebastian Bach, for example. The Hebrew theophoric name Yoseph, Yonathan, and Yeshua became Joseph, Jonathan and Joshua. There's a hint there—how are those theophoric? Yonathan is the modern spelling of a pronounced name which over time you might as well say became shorted by slurring. Originally it was Yehowanathan. The same as Yeshua was originally Yehowashua. It sounds nearly the same, and there is a specific technical term in linguistics for this, but I digress.

    The sound of the letter J also violates what Yosephus noted about the divine name. It was made up of four VOWELS. YHWH and their sounds in Hebrew are vowels. Inserting the vowel points in Hebrew you are left with a unique name of all vowels.

    The definition of the name also points us directly to the same witness, that they are pronounced as 'breath'. Hebrew vowels are letters which—while in our modern alphabet we may dictate that they are "constants"—are pronounced with unobstructed breath, like breathing. Making the J sound requires a sound which is not a Hebrew vowel 'breathing' sound. Say the name Yehowah out loud, you'll likely notice you never quite close your mouth, unless you're enunciating it in a funny way.

    I suggest referencing any reputable dictionary on the letter J. If you grasp that it and it's sound didn't exist until recently, just about the same time as the name "Jehovah" was created by a Catholic monk, then you can start to understand that there's a merri-go-round in your understanding. It sounds like a "Y" because it is a Y, and never was nor ever will be a J. God's name predates the letter J many thousand years. The Watchtower loves to point out that Jehovah has been in use for many centuries. Compare many thousands to many centuries.

    Next, check out the Freemasons who use the name (I imagine you know that they do not worship the same God as we do? Theirs is, at the highest degrees of Freemasonry, freely expressed as evil as opposed to good.):

    Jehovah is, of all the significant words of Freemasonry, by far the most important. Reghellini very properly calls it "the basis of our dogma and of our mysteries." — Encyclopedia of Freemasonry: And Its Kindred Sciences

    The name of God (El) was used in poetry in the inspired scriptures. That poetry is written in a rhythm which demonstrates for us that this name is a three syllable name. Thus, Yahweh and other two syllable variations do not support the poetry that David was adored by our Father for composing. Halleluyah!

    Just like theophoric and theocratic refers to "god", "el" is a generic title for "god" too. Nebuchanazzar was a theophoric name.

    Mischa'El (Michael), which means "Chosen of JAH."

    Thus, it would be incorrect to say Michael means "Chosen of Yah (or Jah)" because it actually means "Chosen of God". Here's a list of theophoric names for you.

    Why Yehowah, not Jehovah or Yahweh or other variations? A simple "hang man" version of understanding the pronuciation of the divine name. There are also references to books you may be interested in, for example a very old book you may read online which talks about Hebrew grammar and pronunciation.

    You may be interested to know that I've conversed with renowned scholar Gerard Gertoux picking his brain on his research on the divine name, as well as have a personal study version of the scriptures (online, you can use too!) which uses the divine name in Hebrew as well as I've learned it to be properly transliterated and pronounced as His original Hebrew name. (Psalms 83:18)

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