When I was in, it wasn't uncommon for people in my congregation to read a rhetorical question over doctrinal matters as a rhetorical question. Yes, the GB can fulminate about education but it's a conscience matter. Yes, the GB may not like certain types of music, but it's a conscience matter to a certain degree. Same with books and tv. Conscience and a bit of freedom. This piece is them further trying to erode that. Some things are conscience matters but the only consciences which matter are those of the GB. The bit on blood at the beginning is classic WT backside covering language.
Mephis
JoinedPosts by Mephis
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New Light on HOLIDAYS and BIRTHDAYS? (September 2015 Watchtower)
by FusionTheism inwatchtower-- simplified study edition, september 2015, "is your conscience a reliable guide?":.
in ancient rome, some christians had different opinions about certain foods and celebrations.
what advice did paul give them?
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How EARLY CHURCH divisions destroyed HISTORY
by TerryWalstrom incan history really be destroyed?.
would otherwise moral authorities participate in such destruction?.
can we believe there is accuracy in historical documents pertaining to the early christian church?.
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Mephis
The Didache (c.100 but possibly a lot earlier or a bit later) also has the same kind of message. It effectively sets out shunning. "But to anyone that acts amiss against another, let no one speak, nor let him hear anything from you until he repents." (chapter 15) I'd be cautious about trying to imply too much doctrinal rigidity (eg Polycarp heading to Rome c.150), although clearly gnosticism and 'judaising' were pushing things too far for 'orthodoxy'. -
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where in london can i talk to someone/get help
by chrism inhi my name is chris.
im in a not good way and need to know where in london i can talk to someone/get help?
im currently sleeping rough in london.
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Mephis
Hi Chris, the chances of people helping you out directly with money are slim sorry. As you're rough sleeping, I'm guessing that you are currently receiving benefits? If so £60 for the fortnight seems very low? Have you tried accessing a social fund loan? They can help with travel costs providing you have evidence of why you need to travel. As you're rough sleeping, Streetlink may be able to help you with finding options to get off the streets and maybe get some help with your addiction: http://www.streetlink.org.uk/ . All the best. -
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How EARLY CHURCH divisions destroyed HISTORY
by TerryWalstrom incan history really be destroyed?.
would otherwise moral authorities participate in such destruction?.
can we believe there is accuracy in historical documents pertaining to the early christian church?.
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Mephis
Eusebius was on the other side of the divide which wasn't really resolved until Augustine a century and more later though Terry, so his viewpoint on someone who seemed to link the 'John' of Revelations with John the Apostle is understandable. He wasn't going to buy what Papias supposedly was selling at 2 centuries or so remove, but even so found merit in parts of what Papias wrote (presumably those bits which were not the literal interpretation of an earthly return for 1000 years). Religious related texts vanishing may not be anything suspicious involved beyond time and circumstance - Book of the Wars of the Lord sounds like it may be of great interest in Jewish history but that's well gone it seems beyond a passing reference in Numbers, likewise with Paul's letter to the Laodiceans. Much more recently there seems to be a play by Shakespeare missing. It's not rare for works to be lost, so one would really need some evidence to point towards deliberate destruction/suppression for the point to really stand up to scrutiny. I'm not aware of any, and circumstantial evidence here isn't pointing towards your conclusion for me sorry. Definitely will join with you in hoping for more Papias to turn up somewhere though! -
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How EARLY CHURCH divisions destroyed HISTORY
by TerryWalstrom incan history really be destroyed?.
would otherwise moral authorities participate in such destruction?.
can we believe there is accuracy in historical documents pertaining to the early christian church?.
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Mephis
I don't think you can make the leap to Papias' works being suppressed or deliberately destroyed because they are lost? eg Tertullian's works survived, and he too was a premillenialist. Eusebius was sceptical of the claims that Papias knew John the apostle, and also of the traditions which Papias is supposed to have written, but Papias is cited long after Eusebius. (C7th at least for references to his work? Perhaps later in the Armenian tradition?).
What we know of Papias does indicate a different tradition, and it's not beyond the realms of possibility for some of, or at least more quotes from, his writings to show up at some stage much as the Gnostic writings continue to.
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By “evolution,” we mean “macroevolution”—apes turning into humans, for example.
by FadingTruth inaugust 2015 awake .
quote in title taken from article footnote.. anyone have information on who gene hwang and yan-der hsuuw in the article are?.
why do they repeatedly state that apes turned to humans when that's not what evolutionists teach at all?.
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Mephis
That's a moronic piece even by their standards. -
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Was it worth it?
by John Aquila infor those of you who left family and friends and had to start over from scratch just to get out of the organization, was it worth it?.
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Mephis
Yes. Sad, difficult at times, but wouldn't change my decision. -
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Deceiving statements in The Watchtower (Study Edition) September 2015
by opusdei1972 inon page 9, paragraph 7:.
neither a branch office nor the local congregation elders are authorized to make health-care decisions for a witness, even if he asks what to do.
(gal.
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Mephis
DATA-DOG's nailed it for me. Beyond the hypocrisy, beyond the sudden urge to seek greater control with the blood issue, there is the legal issue of being held responsible for enforcing their bizarre views on blood transfusions. Helps with getting recognised as a religion in some countries, helps avoid law suits in others. -
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What is true love?
by hoser ini just watched the video what is true love.
first of all it is painfully long.
secondly there is an uncanny resemblance with megan(the one who married out of the truth) to the girl in the jeremiah book who married out of the truth.
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Mephis
Lisa Rose
Yeah, we are only 4% of the population, so we are usually the odd one in any group, but other groups don't make you feel like there there is no hope for you as much as the JWs, lol.
Did you know the person who developed the Myers-Briggs was also an INFP? Although we might not fit in everywhere, we have our own unique perspective to bring to the world, just not the JW world.
Very true. I had a lot of problems trying to fit in there, vanished into my own little space in the end as a result of a few things. But gradually woke up to the idea that being me wasn't the problem - it was trying to contort myself into what they held out as the 'ideal' which was. And their ideal marriage - eek!! Know it works for some, but not for me, oh no. Escaped as a late teen, so not so bad in the end.
Personally, I take as self-reported broad description of some traits, although the INFP thing for me fits far too close for comfort at times. Does help explain some things about how I tick, and why I struggled with a few things looking back. :D
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607 B.C. controversy
by FusionTheism ini'm not sure the whole 607 b.c.e.
controversy is really that major of a deal.. even if the society admits it and changes it, that's only a difference of 20-21 years, so the governing body could just shift 1914 to 1934-1935 and say that world war ii and hitler was the beginning of the signs.. a much bigger issue is why they even say daniel's tree prophecy has an antitypical fulfillment, especially after their new light on types and antitypes..
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Mephis
I don't think they even need to drop 1914. They've redefined the word 'generation' in a way which allows them to run with it for as long as they care to. They've gone from the generation which will never die to the generation which will never end.
Would large numbers currently inside notice to call BS on it? From listening to some inside talk, it's increasingly clear to me that many haven't really a clue on what they're meant to believe about some things. Just avoid looking anywhere but jw.org, parrot back the WT paragraphs on a Sunday and devolve thinking to the 7 old toads in Brooklyn.