Posts by pcop

75

New forum 'parousia' is upon us! (software version)

by Simon in

the time has nearly come to switch over to the new forum software.

of course it's not completely finished yet (and never will be) but i think it's good enough to go live with and probably already better than the current one.

i'll give you a quick overview of what to expect and post more detail about the changeover process later.. cloud platform.

pcop

No Parousia is upon us. The world of mankind will go on for many hundreds of years before the figs on the tree turns ripe. The fig tree has not even sprout a bud yet.

Jesus cautioned that we "be watchful" because we will not know when he is coming.

This watchfulness involves looking at the events of the world. We are not even close.

Many take the bad things happening in "their world" (from their perspective) and then cry out "the end is near" or "Jesus is about to return."

I tell you, from the perspective of a starving Somalian over the decades or to the recipients of the two atomic bombs - for example - these were terrible events and occurences.

Yet, it is usually one-sided Westerners (I am an American) always view things from their perspective thus attempting to speed up the process.

One must look at the proverbial fruit on the fig trees. They are not budding yet. Meaning many many things must occur before that sign is seen in heaven (by those who reside in heaven [angels] and Christ is given his kingdom over the earth.

Obey Christ and keep your senses! We watchful! This is not it.

It is humans and religious organizations that are making people think in this manner.

Only by obeying Christ and listening to HIM will you know when the fruit on the fig tree is ripe.

No religious organization or human can tell you that. In fact, they will tell and teach you wrongly as they have been.

15

What Are changes reflected in New Bible teach book?

by Joshua.r in

except picture changes, what are the content changed in new bible teach book?

which pages?.

pcop

Once again "a book" is made "The Teacher"

People do you not realize that no book by any name (man gave the book the Bible its name) can be our teacher! No book teaches! Christ teaches!

Why would an organization NOT create and entitle a book, "The What Does CHRIST Teach"

Matthew 23:8

But YOU, do not YOU be called Rabbi, for one is YOUR teacher, whereas all YOU are brothers.

John 13:13

YOU address me, ‘Teacher,’ and, ‘Lord,’ and YOU speak rightly, for I am such.

Many of you have become students (disciples) of the Bible rather than students (disciples) of Christ.

The Bible gets far more mention and prominence than our one TRUE Teacher and "Word of God!"

Does not anyone find this strange?

3

When you Create your own Bible, it is Much easier to convince of your Lies.

by objectivetruth in

the word in question is the hebrew word mishneh meaning "a double, copy, second" (http://strongsnumbers.com/hebrew/4932.htm) this word is a very specific word, which implies a double portion, or twice as much.. it is numerical and precise.. the new world translation translates this word as double in the below 2 scriptures :.

isaiah 61:7 "instead of shame you will have a double portion, and instead of humiliation they will shout joyfully over their share.yes, they will possess a double (mishneh) portion in their land.

everlasting rejoicing will be theirs.

pcop

Unfortunately, all Bibles are "created" by men and thus, riddled with error and human prejudice.

One cannot honestly and fairly make statements such as the WT creating its own Bible without understanding that they were all created by men.

If persons realize that no book is of any consequence. Rather, it is Christ Jesus "The Son of God" who is.

In the scrolls (The Bible verses at Luke 9:35) who is it that God commands us to listen to? A book or a person?

44

Looking for Truth with a capital "T"?

by Terry in

jw
friends

stop begging for crumbs like a pigeon in the park!.

nobody anywhere has truth tied up with a red ribbon to hand to you so you.

can go skipping down the road with a smile!.

pcop

Christ has the truth!

It is unwise to look for the truth in anything or anyone else.

Only if people would listen to The Most High at Luke 9:25 and to His Son at John 14:6.

We are told who "is" the truth.

This person - who is the truth - has told us how to access the source of wealth of endless knowledge, wisdom and understanding - The Father - via prayer "through" him. It is a simple matter of asking for it.

Yet, so many revert to consulting books (yes, that includes the Bible) and other humans and their agencies.

What a faithless world not to have confidence that God is able to provide us with his wisdom, knowledge and understanding just by asking for it through the "only way possible:" His Son.

But no! Confidence is in religious organizations and a book called the Bible as being the way.

The world has forgotten - yes those who claim that are followers of Christ - that God did not send us a book (He could have); he did not send us religious organizations (He could have); He did not send us any of the Prophets of old (He could have). No! He sent us his Son and He commanded that we "Listen to" that Son. (Luke 9:35)

Yet, many of you defend the human and human agency and listen to them.

If they do not listen to the Master, why are you listening to them?

Put this to the test: Ask the Father for His wisdom, understanding and knowledge through His Son (who is not king yet) and have full confidence that He will get these things to you.

The moment you start relying on a book called the Bible and other publications and relying on religious organizations for answers, you will have failed and have not placed faith and confidence in God that He can provide you with those things.

You become like Peter when he stepped out on the sea to walk on it to go to Jesus. He lost confidence and faith and failed to walk on the water.

Our faith and confidence MUST be in The Son of God and no human or human agency or doctrines out of them.

Test it !!!

12

Elder Tells Study to stop using google for research ???

by raymond frantz in

elder tells study internet is bad for research.

(watch the video here...).

it might be that the watchtower has embraced the internet in recent years as never before but in private things are the same .watch this video as an elder strongly discourages a study from using the internet to get answers.shameless mind control from the same people who promote in any kind shape and form their version of online truth ,jw.org.. not many years ago they used to demonise the internet as the following quote from july 2007 kingdom ministry shows:.

pcop

Here is another example of the WTBTS quarantining information. It is also an insult to individuals who are no longer children.

It always bothered me during my more than 30 years as a JW why the WT felt the need to conduct research for me, conclude for me and tell me what to think and believe as if I am incapable of it.

Parents of children should protect their children from information that would be harmful to young and impressionable minds. But as those children mature, they no longer need mommy to "breast-feed" them. On their own they can eat solid food, digest it, and expel the waste.

The WT practice of information control is no different from what Nazi Germany did in its book burning practice. It is a preventing individuals from finding out information on their own and determining for themselves if it is good or bad; from God or not from God.

This practice keeps its membership "kindergarten-level" and forever "dependent" upon mother to feed them milk. (The same milk, I might add).

It also sheds light on the idea of a WTBTS "fear of discovery" by its members if they were allowed to use any and all resources available to them.

What is really hypocritical is that when the Brothers conducted research to compile the "Aid To Bible Understanding" and the later "Insight To the Scriptures" volumes, those Brothers used so-called "worldly" resources to do so. The Watch Tower library of books at the headquarters is full of works one would find in the Catholic Church, the Lutheran Church and many others. Most JWs are not aware of this and are steered away from thinking about it.

I find it strange that the many writings of the founder of the WT - Charles Taze Russell - are not made public to other JWs and they do not appear on the WT Library CD. Why? I will tell you why?

Because if one reads the writings of the WT founder C.T. Russell and compare them to what is being taught today, there are vast differences. Yet, Russell is hailed as a "Faithful and Discreet Slave."

No only that, a study of Russells writings against the backdrop of Watch Tower teachings today; C.T. Russell would sound like an Apostate.

I have said many times before, one is ALWAY safe and on the right track if they obey God's command concerning his son at Luke 9:35. "Listen to him."

We are not to listen to men and their human agencies no matter what lofty claims they make.

Listen to Christ: The person. (He is not an organization and not in any organization)

45

Many Member Just Want to Believe

by OnTheWayOut in

if you are/were an active jw, you are now here on jwn so, for whatever your reasons, you woke up to some degree- hopefully a great degree.

so what i am saying may not apply to you.. i know that if i had not already left, i would have stormed out on the day they studied "overlapping generation.

" i am quite confident i couldn't have stayed for such an obvious switcharoo just to make the end seem imminent and try to explain how wts was wrong, but not entirely wrong in the past.. but i had to wonder how that change (or others) didn't cause most jw's to walk out.

pcop

I see a combination of factors that keep many glued to the WTBTS:

Indoctrination over the years that there is no place else to go and being outside "the organization" results in loss of eternal life. The belief that being cutoff from the organization where salvation can only be found. A fear factor.
Stigmatization of being labeled a "worldly person."
Ostracization by friends and family. (Many cannot deal with the mental aspect of this).
Becoming accustomed to the "going along" with everything and shielding and protecting ones inner feelings from anything that might disturb them. (In other word, not wanting ones world rocked).
The powerful "group dynamic" that exists and the "virtual arms" that embrace the WT membership. A family atmosphere is created and many do not want to upset or disappont "the family."
Time vested. Many simply feel that they have been associated with the organization for many years and do not want to count those years as a bad investment.
Many believe that "the organization" is the truth as Phizzy believes. Yet, they are in error because it is not an organization that is "the truth" it is Christ Jesus who is "the truth." Therein, lies the subtle deception: Other things are being ascribed only what Christ Jesus is. For example, the Bible is being called "The Word of God." The WTBTS is being called "The Truth" and also "The Way" and "The Life" if one really thinks about it.

Sadly, many JW - while claiming to be in the business of the truth - are repelled by the truth. (I know I was).

When questioned about the origins of 1914 (Second Adventist Movement and not the Watch Tower) many simply do not want to deal with it. When asked to reconcile such a date with what Christ stated at Matthew 24:36, Matthew 24:42, and Acts 1:7, many hem and haw or run away or make such statements as " Well, I believe it is the Truth, and that's good enough for me" which is a "I-don't-care-and-I-don't-want-to-know" mechanism. There is a mental block that keeps JWs (and others) from confronting TRUTH.

This repulsion to the truth (which is Christ and his teachings) reminds me of how demons reacted in Christs presence. They were repelled by him.

I am well qualified to write what I write here as I was a faithful JW for more than thirty years. I left the organization quietly by disassociation. I did not leave angry or disgruntled. I left as a very concerned person that something was very very wrong.

The "friends" did not want to deal with the hard questions such as 1914 and failed prophetic utterances within the WT organization. I saw a subtle shift and deviations from what Christ taught to what "the organization" taught and still teaches.

I saw more and more a book (The Bible) getting more props and mention as "The Word of God" rather than the one who IS The Word of God: Christ Jesus.

I saw "The Organization" and the men who sit on top of it being elevated to lofty and holy positions to such an extent THEY became objects of reverence rather than Christ himself.

I saw "The Organization" literally usurp the titles of "The Truth, The Way and The Life."

As Phizzy stated, he/she believes that the WTBTS is "The Truth" rather than recognizing that Christ is "The Truth." Any who were and are JWs will acknowledge the use of the expressions "In the truth" or "Are you in the truth?" All JWs know what they mean. They mean "Are you in the organization?"

The organization hails itself as The Way. How so? Because it says that no one can approach the Father unless they do so via the organization and in association with it. (Read the baptismal vow). Yet, Jesus said that "he" is The Way to the Father.

The organization hails itself as The Life. It teaches that all within it are in a "spiritual paradise." In other words, within a particular lifestyle that leads one to eternal life as long as they remain it.

The Jews who The Most High sent His Son to rejected the Messiah. Do not be fooled or deceived, the Son of God is being rejected by those claiming to follow him.

I have awaken and would NEVER NEVER ascribe to any human or human agency that which belongs to my Master: The Way, The Truth and The Life.

Yet, that is exactly what JWs and members of ALL of the religious system called "by men" Christianity has done.

I am intelligent to know that many of them "do not know" and are unware that is what they are doing.

Thanks to my Master Christ Jesus and his teaching and example I can say as he did: "Forgive them for they do not know what they are doing."

This teaching is vastly important to all who claim to follow Christ. It keeps us humble and it reminds us that we were once in that state of slumber and denial.

77

Just quit quietly - the law is on your side!

by Ajax in

jw
friends

freedon of religion guarantees any individual the legal right to abandon any religion at any time for any reason.. if you are a citizen of a country which champions human rights, then your government doesn t care what religion you join, but they will uphold your freedom to join it, without interference, coercion or persecution.

your countries human rights legislation will conversely uphold your rights when it comes time to abandon any religion you so choose.

those (elders) who incite others interfere, coerce or persecute those who have left will be in transgression of the human rights statutes.. a person is only obligated to ecclesiastic law if he exposes himself to it or transgressed it while still a member of a religious community.. when your time comes to abandon the jw-wt cult, do it while still in good standing, be proactive - be decisive -put it in writing!..and do it before the hounders set sights on you.. write a card or letter with as much or as little explanation as you one day might wish to share with pharisees and lawyers.. take this card to a notary public to have your signature witnessed and have the writing overstamped in several places with the date.

pcop

Everyones circumstances are different. Some have close family and friends that they are "emotionally" attached to and this makes it difficult (even if one no longer feels and believes as they do).

Then there are those who have been told that there is no other place to go "outside" of "the organization" and there is a modicum of belief within the individual that they might lose out of the prospect of eternal life if they severe ties with "the organization." Sadly, many these individuals have not come to understand that Christ is "the way, the truth and THE LIFE" not a religious organization as they have no power of granting eternal destruction and eternal life. Religious organization has "stolen" and "usurped" a role not given to them.

There is a certain fear of leaving the organization. Many who leave (whether by disfellowshipment or disassociation) eventually go back because of this "certain fear" that there is no place to go and that they will lose their lives if they are out of the organization.

After more than 30 years as a baptized JW, I left quitely by disassociation. This came as a complete and utter shock to those who knew me. No one was expecting it as I would have been counted as the last person to leave the organization. I remember the last meeting I attended (the Service Meeting) and I knew on the evening I walked out of the Kingdom Hall, I would not return. I kindly said "good night" to the "friends" as I usually did but would not return.

No law on earth can keep you bound to a religious organization. When one became a JW you did not sign any legal documents, you just uttered a baptismal vow.

A close look at the wording of the baptismal vow shows that it is a vow to "the organization" and not to God and Christ. The wording of the vow says that it is "the organization" who decides whether one is a worshiper of God. It says as long as one is associated with the organization one is then a "Jehovah's Witness."

Worshipers of God and Servants of Christ are not to be determined by any human agency. No religious organization paid the price for the purchase of mankind. Only Christ paid that price and is thus mankinds Head and Owner. (1Cor 11:3)

It is Christ who will determine who his true servants are, not any religious organization. (Matthew 7:21-23)

If possible, I would advise one to "get out" of ALL religious organizations. Count it as a blessing and rejoice AS LONG AS you go to "The Person" of Christ.

There does not exist anywhere on earth for Christs true disciples to go "into." In other words, there are no religious systems or organizations established by him that we are to go "into."

Christ did not go "into" anything. In fact, he "went out" into a wilderness and was there tempted by the Devil. Christ called his first 12 disciples "out of" a religious system "to himself."

The Apostle Paul knew this very well. He knew that Christ did not establish a religious system (but a Brotherhood) and Paul cautioned that Christs disciples were not to "go into" systems of organization (camps and cities) to worship the Father and serve Christ BECAUSE none existed.

Rather, Paul taught that true disciples of Christ were to "GO OUTSIDE" those established things. It was "OUTSIDE" the camp that Christ was. So rather than join and "go into" these camps, we leave them and "go outside the camp" to the person of Christ.

Notice at Hebrews 13:13-14 that disciples of Christ have not city (place of organization) to go into, it is yet to come.

"Let us, then, go forth to him outside the camp, bearing the reproach he bore, for we do not have here a city that continues, but we are earnestly seeking the one to come."

Do not confuse this with meeting together. Meeting places today under the banners of Catholicism, Mormonism, Seventh Day Adventism, Jehovah's Witnesses (WTBTS), etc are "cities" where people are organized and divided.

This is not what God and Christ intended as discipleship is to the "religious organization" and not "to Christ."

Neither did God or Christ command anyone to be called by such titles. To accept such titles upon oneself make one an adulterer as the title/name Christ told us to be called by is simply, Disciples.

To take another name other than the one he told us to be called is like being married to another person (religious organization or system).

The world is in an adulterous state at present.

81

Lets list everything that has pagan origins!!

by song19 in

i have a feeling i am going to have to explain to my jw folks why i have decided to allow my children to participate in holidays at school.

theyll probably be wondering too why i will get together with our non jw family for the holidays.. .

we know jws avoid holidays because of their pagan origins.

pcop

To be quite honest, what men call and named - Christianity - is of pagan origin. Paganism is always defined from the viewpoint of certain people; namely, those of European descent.

The Most High God did not send His son to into the world of mankind to establish a religious system called Christianity. Neither did he authorize men to fashion a book called the Bible.

Neither did Jesus or any of his disciples who were with him and after him used the expression "Christian" or "Christianity." If we are to be in the business of the truth, lets be truthful about all of this.

How many times does one see the expressions Christianity, Christians and Christians in the book men themselves authorized and call "The Bible?" Let's be truthful?

When you find all instances of the above expressions (one of them you will not find), take note of WHO is using the expression. Is it disciples of Christ or person(s) who were NOT his disciples.

The Most High God sent His son into the world of mankind to establish a "Brotherhood" not divisive relgious systems ALL who teach Christ differently yet ALL say they have the truth.

The Most High can care less about religion and religious systems or entire nations. He looks at "the individuals" - though different from one another by language, race, etc - who belong to the various nations who "come out" of them and bound themselves to Christ himself. This is what Christ meant when he said that we are to be "his disciples" and that we were to go "make disciples" to him. (Matthew 28:19-20)

God is not a respecter of any religious system or religious organization no matter what lofty claims they make for themselves.

The Apostle Peter at Acts 10:34-35 said in this regard:

"For a certainty I perceive that God is not partial, but in every nation the man that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him."

Notice that joining religious organizations and systems are not mentioned here; rather, it is the man in "every nation" that fears him and works righteousness is acceptable to him.

It is foolish to think becoming a member of one of the more than 41000 contending so-called Christian religious denominations is what makes one acceptable to God.

Christ never taught that. Then again ... few actually REALLY listen to Christ as God commanded us to. (Luke 9:35)

6

Isnt the media attention especially TV way over the top ? in covering the seige in sydney or is it all about ratings .Entertainment ?

by smiddy in

dont get me wrong , what took place was appalling and certainly needed to be covered by the media , whether by radio tv or newspaper articles by journalists.

this was one lone man holding seventeen hostages for about 17 hours , traumatic ,frightening to say the least for the victims who were put through this ordeal , and sadly their were fatalities of hostages .

my heart goes out to those who suffered and endured this seige and especially those who lost loved ones .. my concern is mainly with the tv coverage , newspapers you get usually only once a day , and in a case like this maybe twice.. here in victoria , we have 4 ?

pcop

You are so right, sir.

Media coverage in the United States is not news, it is largely tabloid.

Britney Spears, Justin Bieber, Beyonce and the like get more air time than what matters in the world.

Distracting "unreality" programs and "dancing with the stars-type programming" that keep many from the real world bombard us so much that many of us become addicted to them.

No longer is news reported as unadulterated; it is digested and regurgitated for us. News anchor persons no longer report the news so that we can weigh, decide and conclude - no - THEY tell us what to think and dare us to disagree with them. Foxnews is notorious for this.

I watch very little news programming that issues out of the United States. I find international news organizations outside of the USA more "real-world" and focused.

31

Why do ultra rich jehovahs witnesses get a free pass when it comes to being materialistic?

by hoser in

jw
friends

i know a couple of jws in my town that are both very wealthy.

one has upscale retail stores and owns a property development company.

the other has a large service company and owns a lot of real estate.

pcop

I have written about this extensively. Money is at its roots.

The congregation I was a member of had lots of wealthy business men. Mostly construction company owners who had big contracts and business. Almost all of these men and their sons were Elders and Ministerial Servants.

I remember one Elder (a poor man) give a talk one Sunday morning that no one was expecting. He came down on the wealthy Elders who would harp on persons missing meetings or not putting in enough Field Service hours.

The gist of his talk was the wealthy are at an advantage. They have stay-at-home wives who have plenty of time to Pioneer and prepare meals and care for children. The poor do not have that luxury. Often times there are single moms with children who have to work, take care of house, prepare meals, find time to study and get to the meetings. Often times not having a car. Poor married couples find they both may have to work and still find time to study and get to the meetings many evenings tired and worn out.

The Elder was showing how arrogant and insensitive the wealthy within the congregation can be.

I saw a lot of people nervously quirming in their seats. It was a great talk.

Needless to say, that Brother was asked to step down. He gladly did and moved several miles away to another congregation.

I have seen hard working and deserving poor Brothers passed over for Ministerial Servant and Elder to the children of the wealthy who have been in and out of trouble. Disfellowshipped and reinstated and become Elders!

I have seen young 19 and 20 year olds become Ministerial Servants and Elders stand up on the podium giving talks about marriage and child rearing while qualified older men (who are poor) with families sit their and listen to a child counsel them!

The excuse I heard was, "Well, the older Brothers are not reaching out?" That was not true. The older Brothers had other responsibilities such as work and families to take care of. Those young single 19-20 year old children has wealthy parents and no responsibilities.

Yet, most sit in the Kingdom Halls with fake and plastic smiles and when the prayer is concluded each withdraws to their respective abodes talking behind each others backs.

The Watch Tower's main problem now is that it's reputation and image is crumbling. Image is everything to the Watch Tower. Young people are leaving in droves; especially African American youth. This is an alarming statistic that the Watch Tower cares not to discuss.

Most of the African American youth within the congregations are their because of they are under the care of their parents. They play the game and go along with the program until they are old enough to get away. And get away they do.

Sadly, many of them do not know what to get away to and they are left confused about life because the "sheltered" life within the organization is all they have ever known. As a result, quite a few of them go bad and are find themselves in a violent and crime ridden world that sucks them in.

Rich kids are protected for the most part. They have mommy and daddys money to live off of. They are given "privileged" responsibility as Ministerial Servants and Elders and this keeps them within the organization.

The organization does very little for youth; especially those of color. One must understand what it must be like to open up publications each day only to see Adam, Eve, Angels, Jesus, The Prophets, The Apostle and other portrayed in the likeness of the European. Yet, the Watch Tower does not want this understood. And, it wonders why it has lost so many young people of color.