Baptism numbers do not say much about growth. If 285k were baptized, then this must compensate for those who have left or have died. In uncertain situations, it is not uncommon that for each person who decides to leave, another person decides to stay or get baptized. I mean, some feel more attracted to the organisation just because of the bad news they hear about it. A sort of a loyal feeling takes over.
menrov
JoinedPosts by menrov
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284000 baptized in 2017
by jw-verite inseen in the 03/2018 watchtower study :.
"during the 2017 service year, more than 284,000 “rightly disposed” individuals symbolized their dedication to jehovah by water baptism.".
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/watchtower-study-march-2018/baptism-requirement-for-christians/.
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menrov
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March 2018 Study Watchtower
by Listener inthe first study article is about getting bible studies and children baptized.
there is much more emphasis placed on parents to get their own children baptized rather than focusing on bible students.
they try to impress on others the need for urgency.
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menrov
The mother admits: “I looked for loopholes in our publications so that I could spend time with my daughter and my granddaughter.” She adds: “But my husband kindly helped me to see that our child was now out of our hands and that we must not interfere.”
You wonder why they have a bible at all if it is not even used for such harsh events
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March 2018 Study Watchtower
by Listener inthe first study article is about getting bible studies and children baptized.
there is much more emphasis placed on parents to get their own children baptized rather than focusing on bible students.
they try to impress on others the need for urgency.
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menrov
This statement is what bothers me (well, there are more but this one is beyond the scriptures):
a child is accountable to God when the child knows what is right and what is wrong in Jehovah’s eyes
A child is accountable to its parents as long as the child is considered a minor.
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284000 baptized in 2017
by jw-verite inseen in the 03/2018 watchtower study :.
"during the 2017 service year, more than 284,000 “rightly disposed” individuals symbolized their dedication to jehovah by water baptism.".
https://www.jw.org/en/publications/magazines/watchtower-study-march-2018/baptism-requirement-for-christians/.
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menrov
“rightly disposed” individuals ..... really???? And what if among those so-called “rightly disposed” individuals are a few child molesters??
What does it even mean, a person who is “rightly disposed”???
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Leaked - Video tape inside Watchtower HQ of protest Nov 5, 2017
by Listener ini saw this on jw reddit and thought, okay that will just be one of the protesters videotaping near their security entrance but it's really from inside the hq's.
i doubt the org.
will be happy that this was taped and leaked.https://rutube.ru/video/2dbc8185062524a41ed8c9e2117ca39d/.
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menrov
I noticed security cabin. Will they use force to stop people entering the premise? Or show the other cheek?
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Anybody know about this one?
by careful ina new book has just been published called the oxford handbook of the bible in america.
in it is an article by michael gilmour, professor of new testament at (the evangelical) providence university college in manitoba, canada, on jws and the nwt.
that's chapter 41. but that is not the only time jws are brought up.
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menrov
God bless the cigarette manufacturer: "invention of the Jehovah's Witnesses whose publishing center in Brooklyn, New York, worked with cigarette manufacturers in the 1920s to create a paper that would be lightweight yet durable enough to hold printer's ink in a clean and legible manner."
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Biggest impact on humans
by menrov indo not know where to post this but i like to hear your views on what you think had the biggest impact on humans.
for me, 2 things:.
music: every human listens one way or another to music and will likely have some sort of emotion.
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menrov
Do not know where to post this but I like to hear your views on what you think had the biggest impact on humans. For me, 2 things:
MUSIC: every human listens one way or another to music and will likely have some sort of emotion. Even when singer is dead, still the music can be heard / played.
PICTURES: whether as painting, drawing or nowadays digital, it exist for ages and brings emotions to people. Even after one had died, their picture remains.
In other words, it is not a religious book nor any religion in my view that has such an impact on people as music and pictures have.
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Biblical gems
by venus inthough the trunk, branches and even most of the leaves of the bible tree make no sense, there are some leaves here and there which are like gems of high value, such as:.
1) “an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth” often mistaken as the law of retaliation is actually a beautiful foundation of a perfect judicial system because behind the details the essence is that any loss caused should perfectly and proportionately be compensated.
original writing of this law and its context are not relevant because jesus described them as those being orally transmitted (which makes random additions possible), not written (mathew 5:38-42).
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menrov
@WMUBYJH, in Hebrew, Ps. 51:5 reads partly: Heb “Look, in wrongdoing I was brought forth, and in sin my mother conceived me.
This could mean that he was conceived in sin, i.e. his mother was sinning when he was conceived (adultery??)
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October 10, 2017 TO ALL CONGREGATIONS Re: Branch Relocation Newsletter (UK)
by wifibandit inoctober 10, 2017 to all congregations re: branch relocation—newsletter.
britain branch relocation project edition 6 autumn 2017.
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menrov
The letter says partly: there have been many expressions of thanks for what our great God Jehovah is accomplishing in building enthusiasm, both for our own branch construction, and for our future work assignment in the new world! Bold is mine.
Like this new building is made ready for wrok assignment in the new world.....go figure....
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I would like to thank the Lord I am OK
by Sour Grapes ini saw this on facebook: "i would like to thank the lord i am ok. had a serious fall yesterday from my garage landing to the cement floor and landed on my back.
i suffered a closed head wound, severe cervical sprain, 2 broken ribs and multiple contusions on hand and arm and shoulder.
could have been a lot worse.".
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menrov
It is indeed a topic I have been thinking about quite a lot. If something good happens, it is because of the Lord, if something bad happens, it is either bad luck or Satan.
Religious people believe that the God they worship is actually in control of all things on earth. If that is true, then I ask indeed, why allow innocent people to suffer? Would you allow if you would have the power? Would you allow your children or loved ones suffer when you could prevent it?
And that is where most people become atheist. That is in my view unfortunate as I believe there is another option. My current view is that there is creator. I still strongly believe humans are made so complex, that it is very hard to believe it happened little by little.
What if we were created. Period. End of story. Why believe anything more than that? The universe is huge it could well be that the creator is doing other things and left it to his creation (humans) to run their world. I often compare it with ants. As humans, we hardly care about ants. We leave them run their world. We sometimes step on them. We have no feelings for that. Most understandable. A creator can also see us that way. As ants. From another planet, even from the moon, you cannot identify a human.
Will this creator ever intervene? I have no clue. May be. May be when humans have destroyed all, he might.
All religious books have been written by men. Men that were looking for answers and for a better world / future I guess. It creates hope. Hope is a very strong driver. But at the same time, that same hope have made people disappointed and depressed as their hopes were not fulfilled.
In summary, yes, I do believe in a creator. However, I find it difficult to believe in the type of God found in the various religious books.