AGuest

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• 
  14

  What do you make of this?

  by Copernicus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was wondering what some of you might make of this.

  a friend of mine who is still somewhat active just told me about something interesting that happened in his congregation a week or two ago during the wt study.

  a publisher raised his hand to comment and related an experience he had while doing magazine work in a parking lot (ugggghhhh!!!

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  AGuest

  HEY! What cong. is that? 'Cause if you're in No. Cali... one of those women... was ME!!!

  Peace to you, CopperCorn!

  An ECSTATICLY JUBILANT (uh, 'happy') slave of Christ,

  SJ
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  28

  QUESTIONS ON "EVIL"

  by Tina in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my discussion group recently debated this topic.. i am interested in everyone's thoughts on these questions:.

  why is there evil?.

  what motivates those who perpetrate it?.

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  AGuest

  Hey, Norm... and may you have peace!

  I think you misunderstood me... I did not base evil on superstition. In fact, I believe I said that Satan is NOT to blame for our evil, that WE are... he only exploits what already exists in us... and then, only if we LET him. Indeed, there are many, MANY occasions when Satan has absolutely NOTHING to do with our 'evil'. We just simply CHOSE to do bad.

  I do believe, however, that we will not continue to time indefinite this way. I do believe that Satan... AND those who LOVE bad... Gog (spirits) and Magog (people)... will all come to their end. And I am glad that it doesn't have to be at my hand, for I really don't want the responsibility. Sorry, but that is the truth.

  As for my Father's vengeance, I find it SO funny that 'earthling' man will do whatever HE feels necessary to protect... what, his PETROLEUM?... let alone his family (I am SURE you would do what you needed to protect YOUR family, Norm)... and that 'earthling' man feels that criminals should pay in SOME sort of way... with his/her life or money or community service, etc., but PAY all the same for any wrong committed against society...

  ... but DECRY that my Father feels EXACTLY the same way about HIS family... and HIS property. Can you spell 'hypocrite', Norm? For that is what those who feel offenders should pay, but feel God is not justified in meteing out HIS justice and vengeance, are.

  And please, don't give me that "God is better than us" melarkey. For indeed, HE is. That is the VERY reason that He has been patient and not wiped us ALL out... for our various and sundry transgressions. Doesn't matter whether it's RIGHT, Norm. What matters is that... He CAN! And it would an exceptional human to have that kind of power... and not wield it at the LEAST little offense. You know that is true.

  I am truly sorry that you misunderstood me, Norm.

  I bid you peace... and I am,

  Your servant and a slave of Christ,

  SJ
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  25

  Pentecost 33CE What really happened.

  by biblexaminer in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  foreword.

  and if they were not in the "upper chamber" at pentecost, where were they?

  or is it "acts of the apostles"?

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  AGuest

  Please see response under "Why Eclipse of 4BC..." Thank you.
• 
  28

  QUESTIONS ON "EVIL"

  by Tina in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  my discussion group recently debated this topic.. i am interested in everyone's thoughts on these questions:.

  why is there evil?.

  what motivates those who perpetrate it?.

  1. 
  2. 
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• 

  AGuest

  Hello, Tina-Girl... and may you have peace!

  The answer is quite simple, and my Lord has permitted me to share it with you:

  First, NONE of us are born inherently KNOWING good. Good... is TAUGHT... and learned. Second, once we are TAUGHT good... it is up to us to CHOOSE good... and reject bad. Unfortunately, MOST humans don't reject bad... but rationalize and justify it. From the smallest lie... to blowing up an entire building full of people... to stealing folks husbands/wives in the name of love... to cheating on husbands/wives in the name of weakness... to carrying on another generation of domestic abuse ("I was abused"), to whatever.

  From DAY ONE... mankind was given a CHOICE: choose good and reject bad... and live... or choose bad... and die. God did not, has not, and WILL not MAKE us do anything. He has and will simply to continue to give us CHOICE. Thus, He SAID to Israel: "I set BEFORE you... blessing... and malediction. CHOOSE." And my Lord gave us a choice of two (2) 'roads'... a broad and spacious one... and a narrow and cramped one.

  Because CHOOSING good requires WAY more effort than doing bad... you can guess which ones gets the most 'pings', yes?

  Even my Lord, when born in the flesh, had to LEARN what was good... so that he could REJECT the bad. But he didn't come out knowing it.

  Isaiah 7:16

  Evil... is a choice. We CAN blame it all on God (for those mad at him), or on Satan (for those mad at [i]him[\i]). But, in truth, we have no one to blame but ourselves. Satan is not going to stand before the Judgment Seat FOR us. Each will have to answer for him or herself.

  Many of us are misled with reference to what Satan's TRUE crime is: Satan does not MAKE us do bad (for those who rely on the excuse, "the Devil made me do it"). Satan can MAKE you do no more than you are WILLING to do. What Satan DOES... is exploit what is already IN you! And the ONLY way to fight that is:

  1. KNOW what is IN you... KNOW the 'works' of YOUR flesh, your OWN weaknesses... [i]acknowledge[\i] them... to yourself and God... and others, if necessary... so that you can ask for help to 'conquer' them;

  2. Work to REMOVE it by using one of the fruits of the spirit.

  Otherwise, Satan will do what he did to Eve... exploit HER 'desire'.

  James 1:14, 15

  Satan KNOWS the 'inclination of man', that it IS bad... and he will use whatever he can to bring that bad out. Want to kill a building of people? Find a young man who is angry at the government, exploit that anger... and entice him to do YOUR 'dirty work'. Yeah, you'll pay... in the end... but YOUR end is way farther off than his. And, you killed 163 plus one people in the process!

  Satan uses us, Tina. And we... allow ourselves to BE used. But... we don't have to. We CAN... choose good. Unfortunately, most folks don't WANT to choose good. They LIKE 'bad'... and justify it. From lying to fornication to idolatry, to drunkeness, to stealing, to... whatever. Hey, it's MY life! And indeed, it is. Too bad, others suffer because folks are just living THEIR life.

  But it will not always be so. For they... are having their reward in full... now. The best, however, is yet to come.

  I bid you peace... and love... and I remain...

  Your servant, sister and a slave of Christ,

  SJ
• 
  25

  Pentecost 33CE What really happened.

  by biblexaminer in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  foreword.

  and if they were not in the "upper chamber" at pentecost, where were they?

  or is it "acts of the apostles"?

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• 

  AGuest

  Dearest Peter... you are correct, and may you have peace!

  I accept your 'counsel' wholeheartedly... and sincerely.

  Joshua, there is something you may be missing:

  In the Spring of 4BCE, where SOME date Herod's death, there was a 'partial' eclipse, as there was in the in December (our calendar) of 1BCE, which would give you your 1AD death date.

  However, there was FULL eclipse about three months before Herod died... in the Spring... of 1BCE.

  Check it out.

  Peace to you, Peter!

  A slave of Christ,

  SJ
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  1

  My Final 'Say' Re: the 'StatusH20...

  by AGuest in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  may you all have peace!.

  sorry... but i have been given 'counsel'... and have some to share (with those who care):.

  to those who might be 'rejoicing' over the situation with h20... and even the wtbts:.

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  AGuest

  May you all have peace!

  Sorry... but I have been given 'counsel'... and have some to share (with those who care):

  To those who might be 'rejoicing' over the situation with H20... and even the WTBTS:

  Proverbs 24:17, 18

  To Rick/Derrick/H20 folks:

  Proverbs 21:13
  Proverbs 12:1
  Proverbs 15:31, 32
  Proverbs 17:10
  Proverbs 19:20, 27

  And what was 'given' to me was:

  Proverbs 9:6-9

  Again, I bid you all peace!

  A slave of Christ,

  SJ
• 
  29

  My Mother's Letter

  by silentlambs in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i recently got this letter from my mother, i thought i would share it to help see how this saga continues.

  my parents are both regular pioneering as we speak.

  have seen their grandchildren for about an hour in the last six months.

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  AGuest

  Dearest Silentlambs... may you have peace!

  Please know that I offer the following as a means of encouragement... and nothing more:

  Matthew 5:10, 11
  Matthew 10:34-39
  John 16:33b

  You are TRYING to 'do the right thing,' dear one. In that light, you MUST remember that you weren't promised a 'rose garden', but invited to 'pick up [your] TORTURE stake'. And such stake is indeed 'heavy'. But all you need DO... is ask for assistance to carry it. And there IS One who has said, "Take MY yoke upon you..."

  If you remember that, and never forget it, you WILL 'conquer'... and 'fully accomplish YOUR ministry', as you are doing. But please, as I was directed to inform you before, do NOT misunderstand who... and WHAT you are dealing with. Satan has INDEED... 'blinded the minds of the unbelievers'. Unfortunately, your dear mom... is one of them, right now. Rather than feel saddened to the point of inactivity, PRAY for HER 'release' as well.

  I bid you the peace... and the strength... of my Lord... in abundance. You, too, VeniceIT. You WILL need it.

  I am...

  Your servant, as I am servant to ALL those of the Household of God, Israel... and a slave of Christ,

  SJ
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  25

  Pentecost 33CE What really happened.

  by biblexaminer in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  foreword.

  and if they were not in the "upper chamber" at pentecost, where were they?

  or is it "acts of the apostles"?

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  AGuest

  Hello, Joshua (Larsguy) and BibleExaminer...

  Sorry, it took me so long to reply to your responses ('15th year of Tiberius' and 'holding to scripture'). I didn't see the new posts until just today. Of course, I had to go back to my Lord and ask... in order to 'receive'. And I did. I was directed to research the reign of Tiberius... and, Joshua, you are a bit off.

  You see, although Tiberius Caesar started to rule INDEPENDENTLY in the 14 A.D., he actually BEGAN his rulership, as co-ruler of his stepfather, Augustus Caesar... in 11 CE, 3 years earlier. And he was RECOGNIZED as ruler then. So, when speaking of Tiberius' 15th year, Luke was going by what folks went by back THEN... and not what WE go by now. August died in the early Fall of 14 and Tiberius became sole ruler that Winter. However, counting from when Tiberius' reign was RECOGNIZED, 11 CE, my Lord WAS baptized in late Summer/early Fall of 26CE, within the '15th year of the reign of Tiberius Caesar, prior to the start of Tiberius' 16th year, which would have started the Winter of 26CE.

  Almost 3-1/2 years from that, in the Spring of 30 CE, my Lord was put to death in the flesh.

  Here is the chronology:

  Early fall 4 BCE: My Lord born in the flesh - age 0

  Fall 3BCE: My Lord turns age one

  Fall 2BCE: My Lord turns age two

  Spring 1 BCE: My Lord age 2-1/2; Herod dies

  Late Fall 11 BCE: Beginning of Tiberius' corule w/Augustus)

  Late Summer 26CE: My Lord baptized in Jordan river just before starting his 30th year and still in the 15th year of Tiberius' reign

  Spring 30CE: Nisan 14 (Wednesday)- My Lord celebrates the Passover with his apostles that evening

  Nisan 15 (Thursday) - A 'holy convention' sabbath which started at daybreak, but for the Jews, 'Preparation' day (they would celebrate the sabbath that EVENING... my Lord taken to 'mock' trial before the Sanhedrin, taken before Pilate (who was in town), before Herod (who resided in the palace IN town), and then back to Pilate, who delivered him up at about noon. My Lord was then put to death in
  the flesh at about 3:00pm.

  Nisan 17th (Saturday) - the 'weekly' sabbath.

  Nisan 18th (Sunday) - The day AFTER the 'weekly' sabbath, my Lord raised up after spending three days and nights in Hades. Women come to tomb in early morning.

  I am TRULY sorry that the 'false stylus' (Jeremiah 8:8) of 'earthling' man has been remiss in recording with accuracy. But we are, after all, imperfect. History is RECORDED... to the best of 'earthling' man's ability, and nothing more. And, BibleExaminer, that is the VERY reason WHY my Lord said:

  "You are SEARCHING the scriptures...
  because you THINK...
  that by means of THEM...
  you will have life.
  And THESE (the scriptures)...
  are the VERY ones...
  that bear witness...
  ABOUT ME!

  And yet...
  YOU DO NOT WANT TO COME...
  TO ME...
  that you may have life!"

  John 5:39, 40

  It is these very words, dear ones, that make me KNOW I cannot rely on what is 'written' because what is 'written' HAS been tampered with. Not just the Bible, the scriptures, etc., by mankind's recorded history. NONE of it is absolutely accurate. Even YOU know this. Read your newspapers and magazines... is earthling man SO much LESS accurate now than before? Or more? Why then does one news report say it occurred such and so... and another say it occurred thus and so. It is BECAUSE... we are imperfect.

  Am I saying the prophets were inaccurate? Never may that happen! I AM saying, however, that the COPYISTS... and scribes... were! That is why we HAVE so many versions, renderings and translations, dear ones!

  So... I HAVE to RELY... on the Truth. John 14:6 For he is the ONLY One who possesses the truth... and dispenses it... truthfully. Proverbs 8:4-9 Indeed, if you want to KNOW the truth... know him or ABOUT him... should you not then GO... TO HIM?
  John 7:37, 38

  Were we not told that 'anything you ask in my name, the Father WILL give you'? Why then would I not ask for CLARIFICATION of what occurred? I did... and do. And... I 'receive'. You can do it, too. Or... you can continue to 'put your trust in earthling man... to whom NO SALVATION BELONGS.' The choice... is entirely yours.

  A slave of Christ,

  SJ
• 
  19

  Resurrection... to what TYPE of body?

  by AGuest in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  may you all have peace!.

  there is a bit of a debate about the resurrection, and to what type of body people will be resurrected to.

  it is quite simple, and encompasses two resurrections: the 'first' resurrection... and the general resurrection.. 1. the 'first' resurrection -.

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  AGuest

  Dearest James... may you have peace!

  To a great extent... you are correct. We WILL have 'changed' bodies... from that which is earthly or 'terrestrial' to that which is spiritual/heavenly or 'celestial'.

  However, the image of the earthly body is NOT the same as that of the spiritual body. Indeed, both have eyes, ears, mouths, hands, feet, etc., but I promise you, what one looks like IN THE SPIRIT... is not what one looks like... IN THE PHYSICAL FLESH.

  After Adam's inability to HANDLE his 'nakedness', he was given 'a long garment of skin'. Many believe to have been animal skin... clothing... to cover his naked physical flesh. It was not. Adam had a body like that of my Lord... one that could 'go in and out' of the spirit/physical realms. Just as my Lord could 'transfigure', so, too could Adam. That was how God put him IN the garden, for flesh... with its BLOOD... cannot 'enter'. So, Adam was 'changed'.

  When my Lord died, it was WHEN he died that his flesh was 'changed', just as it will be for us. He 'transfigured' in order to be able to go to Hades and preach to the spirits there. Then, he is resurrected back to THIS realm. But... as Paul SAID... it is SOWN a PHYSICAL BODY... it is RAISED UP... a SPIRITUAL BODY. So, my Lord indeed had his 'white robe' when he appeared to the disciples.

  The 'white robe', however, can 'put on' ANY appearance that it wishes to. Why? BECAUSE IT IS FREE! It is not 'limited' in the way the earthly flesh is. That is why Satan... could 'appear'... as a serpent. That is why Legion... could enter into swine, as well as men.

  To know what spirit beings REALLY appear like, I bid you to read the following link. http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/forum/thread.asp?id=6510&site=3 And look up the scriptures/verses, if you will. You will be QUITE surprised.

  I bid you peace, and I am...

  Your servant, and a slave of Christ,

  SJ
• 
  18

  dem dang Awakes!

  by Copernicus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i happened to be in my doctors office yesterday and was browsing the magazine rack looking for something to kill time, and what did i perchance find?

  yes, you guessed it.

  a pristine issue of awake!

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  AGuest

  Dearest Jelly and CopperCorns (sorry, I like nicknames... ask anyone...)... may you have peace!

  Jelly, you are correct. That's why I asked WHO did my Lord condemn? The WTBTS applies EVERYTHING to 'earthly' governments... and yet, our 'wrestling' is not WITH 'earthly' governments, but against 'the government, authorities, and world rulers of this DARKNESS, the wicked SPIRIT FORCES in... THE HEAVENLY PLACES.'

  Ephesians 6:12 (please, see Greek)

  But, of course, they got it wrong. Of course. They go around judging and condemning and saying everybody's got 'ta go... but them. And why not them? "The temple of Jehovah, the temple of Jehovah we are." Same thing the Jews said. Did them... or their 'organization'... no good either.

  CopperCorns (sorry, I know it's Copernicus, but...), I didn't think you rude at all. You simply didn't understand. No problem. There were things my Lord said that his disciples didn't understand right away, either. Unlike 'religion', however, when asked by those that 'belonged' to him, he condescended to explain. But he said that he spoke the way he did, so that some WOULDN'T get it. Why? You must remember: of the things revealed to Christ's slaves, even the ANGELS don't know and wish to 'peer' into.

  If you were a king and you were setting up your 'cabinet' (or parliament or whathaveyou), you wouldn't speak in a way that made your 'sacred secrets' known to all, would you? For that could prove to be dangerous. You would speak in a way so that those who 'belonged' to you could either (a) understand right away, a 'code' per se, or (b) could have it explained to them in further detail at some later time, away from others. Yes? And that's all that happened. Truly, nothing 'new'... under the sun.

  I try to speak in a way that ASSUMES intelligence, not ignorance. We all have the CAPACITY... and dictionaries... to look up words we don't understand. But we don't all have the wherewithall. I don't say that as a mockery, but as a truth... and a caution. Let me explain:

  One the GREATEST 'tools' of religion (just as it is of ANY kind of slavery), is the ignorance of the masses... the enslaved. Religion COUNTS on you not knowing what words mean, where they originated, how they were originally rendered and meant to be used, how they were changed, who changed them... and for what purpose. They are COUNTING on you to not CARE enough... to find this stuff out. And THE greatest 'religion' at doing that... is the WTBTS.

  You see, the WTBTS COUNTS on the fact that you... and many others... don't particularly LIKE to read, POSSESS limited reading comprehension skills... and WON'T look up word meanings. They COUNT on it. That's why they print the garbage and propaganda that they do! Again, I don't say this as a mockery... but as truth! Christianity is most guilty of this, restricting reading of the Bible FROM the laity and reserving it only for the heirarchy of priests, bishops, etc. The WTBTS leaders figured out that there IS nothing new under the sun... that mankind could STILL be 'misled'... and has made a FORTUNE... doing it.

  Centuries ago, LOTS of folks were burned at the stake... for reading... and COMPREHENDING... what the Bible actually said, and stating that what the Catholic Church was TEACHING... was in opposition. The WTBTS is absolutely NO different. That is the very reason WHY they print so many publications. THEY... know YOU... aren't going to question what they say, because you don't really COMPREHEND what they say OR what the Bible says... and you won't TRY to... so, you are FAIR GAME... for being misled.

  Again, no mockery... for I, too, was misled. But I questioned all along and was 'under suspicion' from day one. I just bought into that 'wait on Jehovah' melarkey, like so many others. Until I just couldn't 'buy it' anymore. Until I heard a voice that said, "READ IT AGAIN! and did, and saw the LIE."

  What's my point? If you don't understand something... ASK! If you can't ask... you are in the WRONG place... among the WRONG people. People who speak truth... have NOTHING to hide... and have the answers to questions about THEIR statements. And if you don't understand a word... LOOK IT UP! If you can't look it up because you aren't sure of the spelling, use your MsWord or WordPerfect or other word processing program. Type the word at you THINK it should be spelled... then use the spellcheck. 9 times out of 10, it will give you the correct spelling. Then, you can click on your thesaurus... and see similar words that will give you a clue. And, as I said, there is ALWAYS the dictionary.

  I am not trying to 'talk down' to you... or chastise you. Perhaps you know all of this already. But I have found that a LOT of people don't read pertinent information... or skip over words they don't know or understand... to their one detriment. They either don't get useful information... or misinterpret it... or have it misinpreted TO them, because of the 'oh well, it's not important' attitude.

  And like I said, religion... particularly the WTBTS... is counting on that.

  So, if I EVER post anything that you don't understand, all you need do is ask, and I will explain it further, okay? I promise.

  And I remain...

  Your servant, and a slave of Christ,

  SJ