Posts by AnnOMaly

2

September 10, 2014 BOE Letter

by JW GoneBad in

rumor has is that there is a 9/10/14 boe letter about new revised editions of 'keep yourselves in god's love' and 'what does the bible really teach' books soon to be released-can someone confirm this and/or post a copy of that boe letter here?.

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AnnOMaly

Thread on it: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/scandals/284740/1/BORG-running-low-on-242424

109

Topics Ive Been Pondering On

by JWINQUESTION in

this is my first post on here so bear with me.

currently i am still an active jw with serious questions about the jw org.

i was hesitant signing up but really need as much input from the people on this forum to get a clear understanding on things.

AnnOMaly

Welcome to JWN

It is just when I see many (not all) posters and ex JW’s curse, I wonder is this how I am going to end up like after I leave.

Not if you don't want to. Equally, I know JWs who curse - just not at the KH or on FS.

I’ve noticed a lot of former JW’s have become either Atheists or Agnostics. To be honest, I can’t see accept those beliefs either.

A lot do become atheist/agnostic, but there are theists and Christians on here too. You're just starting to ask questions. Allow yourself time to explore and come to your own conclusions.

Regarding the homosexuality issue ...

I still have ambiguous feelings about that but, like you, I deplore that they are vilified and persecuted. A gay acquaintance of mine recently got engaged to his boyfriend. He's a nice guy and I wished them well. Hopefully, some of the gay JWNers will answer your questions and give you another perspective.

46

Does egyptian history conflict with bible history

by ninja_matty69 in

it is said to contain some 255 names if we start from column 2 row 11 (pharaoh menes).

we could ignore its omission of chaires and later cheneris mentioned by manetho as this is probably just an error on manethos part as no other lists appear to validate this entry.

statistically speaking this means that the saqqara tablet only contains 25% of the pharaohs it should contain during these timeframes, or conversely it is 75% incorrect.

AnnOMaly

You mention babel so i will conclude by mentioning Excavations in and around the ruins of ancient Babylon have revealed the sites of several ziggurats, or pyramid like, staged temple-towers including the ruind temple of Etemenanki. One fragment found states “The building of this temple offended the gods. In a night they threw down what had been built/ They scattered them abroad, and made strange their speech. The progress they impeded |Bible and Spade, 1938, S. L. Caiger, page 29

Caiger says this fragment refers to a ziggurat like the Etemenanki and other Babylonian ones. He doesn't associate it directly. Caiger's fragment quote comes from George Smith's The Chaldean Account of Genesis (1880, co-written with A.H. Sayce), p. 163-165. Smith excavated the Assyrian Ashurbanipal's library in Nineveh, and this seems to be the origin of the fragment which, on p. 163, is said to "shockingly mutilated." 'Shockingly mutilated' fragments are hard to read and meaningfully interpret (cf. Preface, p. ix-x). Smith/Sayce may have been a little over-zealous in finding a direct link between it and the Bible's tale of the tower of Babel.

An article by the Louvre titled 'Modern-era Travelers and Archaeological Excavations at Babylon' made this comment:

"In 1875 English Assyriologist George Smith had published a book titled, The Chaldean Account of Genesis, Containing the Description of the Creation, the Fall of Man, the Deluge, the Tower of Babel, the Time of the Patriarchs, and Nimrod; Babylonian Fables, and Legends of the Gods, from the Cuneiform Inscriptions. The promise of the title was a little ambitious: ancient Mesopotamia literature contains no mention of original sin, no history of the building of the tower, no Biblical patriarchs or Nimrod. However, the parallel of the deluge in the Epic of Gilgamesh with the Biblical Flood was itself sufficiently interesting, an interest that would only grow as exaggerated links between Babylon and the Bible were asserted."

The online Catholic Encyclopedia (1917) says:

"The descendants of Noah had migrated from the "east" ( Armenia ) first southward, along the course of the Tigris, then westward across the Tigris into "a plain in the land of Sennar". As their growing number forced them to live in localities more and more distant from their patriarchal homes, "they said: Come, let us make a city and a tower, the top whereof may reach to heaven ; and let us make our name famous before we be scattered abroad into all lands." The work was soon fairly under way; "and they had brick instead of stones, and slime (asphalt) instead of mortar." But God confounded their tongue, so that they did not understand one another's speech, and thus scattered them from that place into all lands, and they ceased to build the city.

"This is the Biblical account of the Tower of Babel. Thus far no Babylonian document has been discovered which refers clearly to the subject. Authorities like George Smith, Chad Boscawen, and Sayce believed they had discovered a reference to the Tower of Babel; but Fr. Delitzch pointed out that the translation of the precise words which determine the meaning of the text is most uncertain (Smith-Delitzsch. "Chaldaische Genesis", 1876, 120-124; Anmerk., p. 310)."

I ought to point out that I haven't found a copy of the German translation of Smith's work where Delitzsch discusses the uncertainty of the text, so I can't be sure if he's referring to the same text as the one above or a different one.

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SOURCES

Caiger's quote in context. Scroll to the bottom.

George Smith's book.

Louvre article.

Catholic Encyclopedia entry.

4

Advertise, Advertise

by pbrow in

does anyone know where i can get a full copy of the "advertise" speech?

i cannot find it on the interwebs or using the search function.

i thought it was published in an old watchtower but i am not sure.... thanks for any help,.

AnnOMaly

Scans of the 1922 Watchtowers are found HERE. Look for November 1st, p. 332-337, where Rutherford's talk is reproduced in its entirety.

Do you believe it? Do you believe that the King of glory is present, and has been since 1874? [Belief phased out during the '30s and officially abandoned in early '40s.] Do you believe that during that time he has conducted his harvest work? [Belief changed to harvest beginning in either 1919 or 1914] Do you believe that he has had during that time a faithful and wise servant through whom he directed his work and the feeding of the household of faith? [Belief that Russell was the FDS was abandoned in 1927; belief that a FDS class existed in some form before 1919 was abandoned in 2012] Do you believe that the Lord is now in his temple, judging the nations of earth? [Belief was discarded in the mid-'90s] Do you believe that the King of glory has begun his reign? [The only belief that remains so far]

Then back to the field, O ye sons of the most high God! Gird on your armor! Be sober, be vigilant, be active, be brave. Be faithful and true witnesses for the Lord. Go forward in the fight until every vestige of Babylon lies desolate. Herald the message far and wide. The world must know that Jehovah is God and that Jesus Christ is King of kings and Lord of lords. This is the day of all days. Behold, the King reigns! You are his publicity agents. Therefore advertise, advertise, advertise, the King and his kingdom.

36

GB Gerrit Losch and his questionable article in the 7/14 WT study edition!!!

by ADJUSTMENTS in

in this article gerrit talks about his father in the first and last paragraphs, what he says about him and his hope for him goes against all that witnesses have preached about the worldly for the last 100 years... as i recall aren't all the worldly supposed to be destroyed and never have a hope of everlasting life like jw's are, and isn't that the purpose of the preaching work to baptize and warn the worldly of this???

if not why do jws even preach, or even become jws in the first place if all have a hope of everlasting life, jw and non-jw, are they releasing a little hint at new light to come???

or am i just missing or over analyzing something?.

AnnOMaly

I thought the WBATS last taught we will no longer have a remembrance of those we lost in this system, ie deceased marriage mates or thisevwho were not dedicated witnesses

I don't think that's quite what they mean. It's more to do with bad, painful stuff that will be forgotten (Isa. 65:17; Rev. 21:4). If there is no remembrance of the past (e.g. our relationships), how would any resurrected family and friends be able to recognize each other?

63

w14 12/15-E Study Edition

by wifibandit in

click "premium download".

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pdf: http://bayfiles.net/file/1kv2k/uaqn2y/w_e20141215.pdf.

AnnOMaly

Ahh the wisdom from above.

Indeed. It makes the same amount of sense as Lösch's idea that going to College is like shooting yourself in the head.

63

w14 12/15-E Study Edition

by wifibandit in

click "premium download".

.

pdf: http://bayfiles.net/file/1kv2k/uaqn2y/w_e20141215.pdf.

AnnOMaly

The part on page 30 paragraph 13 stood out to me where they compared trying out life "in the world" to jumping in front of a moving car on the highway. That is phobia indoctrination 101. Compare life outside the group to getting hit by a speeding car to see how painful it is? Wow. I dont know how people can read this stuff with a straight face, nod and believe it is godly wisdom. The comparison is so flawed that I cannot even formulate clear thoughts about it.

Yeah, that one struck me too. It was one of the 'Whaaa?' moments.

If I were a GB Pope for a day, and my goal was to retain kids, I'd focus on developing programs that appeal to them here & now. You know, like the youth programs & projects that wicked ol' "Christendom" has been doing for decades.

You have a point, sir82. Still, despite its intended audience, it serves to reinforce the phobias on all JWs.

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P. 4 - Classic quote:

"Jehovah does not want mechanical obedience impelled by threats and coercion."

... 'But we do!' thinks the GB.

63

w14 12/15-E Study Edition

by wifibandit in

click "premium download".

.

pdf: http://bayfiles.net/file/1kv2k/uaqn2y/w_e20141215.pdf.

AnnOMaly

But youths can be more malleable, and because they haven't been around long, this 'sky is falling any minute now' propaganda will be fresh to them.

4

FEAR

by paranoia agent in

watch, wath it all.. .

http://youtu.be/o-vlhnpwju0.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-vlhnpwju0.

AnnOMaly

If I don't wath, will bad things happen to me?

63

w14 12/15-E Study Edition

by wifibandit in

click "premium download".

.

pdf: http://bayfiles.net/file/1kv2k/uaqn2y/w_e20141215.pdf.

AnnOMaly

The 'Stick Together' article is the key one in the magazine, I think. It well demonstrates the E in the BITE Model - Emotional Control:

5. Instill fear, such as fear of:
a. Thinking independently
b. The outside world
c. Enemies
d. Losing one’s salvation
e. Leaving or being shunned by the group
f. Other’s disapproval
[...]
8. Phobia indoctrination: inculcating irrational fears about leaving the group or questioning the leader’s authority
a. No happiness or fulfillment possible outside of the group
b. Terrible consequences if you leave: hell, demon possession, incurable diseases, accidents, suicide, insanity, 10,000 reincarnations, etc.
c. Shunning of those who leave; fear of being rejected by friends, peers, and family
d. Never a legitimate reason to leave; those who leave are weak, undisciplined, unspiritual, worldly, brainwashed by family or counselor, or seduced by money, sex, or rock and roll
e. Threats of harm to ex-member and family

E.g. p. 24:

"One of the darkest periods in human history nears. ..."

" ... That will not be the time to let anything divide us. We will certainly not want to turn to the world for assistance. Rather, we will want to stick close to our brothers. Of course, we will not survive just because we are part of a group. Jehovah and his Son will bring those who call on Jehovah’s name safely through that calamitous time. (Joel 2:32; Matt. 28:20) Nevertheless, is it reasonable to think that those who have not maintained unity as part of God’s flock—those who have strayed off on their own—will be saved? —Mic. 2:12."