Posts by Mysterious

6

Calling all Apostates!!

by mann377 in

jw
friends

.

i guess the wtbs is concerned (ha ha)

You have to upload the file first, it doesn't work if you link to it off your C drive. Click the files button next to the profile link in the top where your logoff button and inbox are to upload files.

38

JW's and Pubs/Bars

by Heatmiser in

i have noticed on past threads from posters from other countries than the usa that they would be hanging out in pubs and such while still jw's.

in the us i believe that going to bars would pretty much be a df/da offense.

in other countries is the policy different?

Mysterious

I think a lot of times they mostly frown on the worldy association. Like going to bars or pubs to hang out with non-witnesses. But I guess it would be less objectionable if they went in a big group.

24

Paranoia about APOSTATES....Relentless

by wannaexit in

just got the watchtower feb 15/04.

this is what it reads : .

apostates may claim to worship jehovah and to believe the bible, but they reject the visible part of his organization......under divine inspiration, the bible writers used strong words to expose the motives and the methods of apostates.. what is it that apostates want?

Mysterious

And how do they explain all the apostates who never met other apostates until they were apostates. Hehe.

44

Fibbing about your time

by SC_Guy in

i'd never thought about this... but last night my father asked for my time.

and i told him i didn't have any.

he didn't seem to mind so he went ahead long his way.. .

Mysterious

Well I always got hauled out at least 3 saturdays a month. More on holidays and months with those magical "5 saturdays". If I ever turned in anything with less than 6 hours I got a lecture, it seems even illness isn't good enough sometimes. Mom always went out with me so there was nothing to fudge. She was always so strict about the minutes too. You carried them until they made another hour to report.

22

Comments You Will Not Hear at the 1-4-04 WT Study

by blondie in

priscilla and aquila, a first-century christian married couple, observed apollos giving a speech at a synagogue in the city of ephesus.

they know that the bulk of those baptized are children of current jws and that anywhere from 50 to 80 percent of them leave or are df?d/da?d within 5 years.. focus on people.

(2 timothy 2:15) (s) evidently (buzzword), they were serious students of the scriptures.

Mysterious

Mysterious, is this permanent?
You're darn right. I won't even hear the WT Study!

Yes, yes it is. And playing anagrams in your WT you should be ashamed. Mom was always aghast if I had doodles in the margins..though I usally made those during our pre-study and studiously played cover them with your hand when the mic person walks by..

14

Oct 2003 KM question

by IronGland in

jw
friends

can someone tell me the first song number of the service meeting as listed in the october 2003 kingdom ministry for the week of the 27th?

no particular reason

Mysterious

I laugh at all the dubs who told me how secure those sites were.

8

My First New Year's

by Mysterious in

jw
friends

i ended up going to a party with some friends even though i had earlier planned to lay low this year.

i had an awesome time and showed up at home quite late.

the whole witness take on new year's that it always is some big drunk event is such crap, it doesn't have to be.

Mysterious

Kind of reminds me when you're a little kid and someone hypes something up as big and scary. Then all of a sudden you realize it's not and wonder what all the fuss was about. I guess if the truth got out they'd have no reason not to celebrate and then there'd be anarchy!

8

My First New Year's

by Mysterious in

jw
friends

i ended up going to a party with some friends even though i had earlier planned to lay low this year.

i had an awesome time and showed up at home quite late.

the whole witness take on new year's that it always is some big drunk event is such crap, it doesn't have to be.

Mysterious

I ended up going to a party with some friends even though I had earlier planned to lay low this year. I had an awesome time and showed up at home quite late. The whole witness take on new year's that it always is some big drunk event is such crap, it doesn't have to be. We had a good dozen people packed into a heated garage to watch movies, play games, and drink.....PEPSI.

On top of that I never realized just how warm and pleasant Christmas decorations can be. The guy's house we were at was quite decked out, his family obviously takes great pride in all their decorations and tradtions. I always thought it would feel weird being in a house that was completely decorated like that but it felt very comfortable and homey.

If you want discussion questions instead of comments how about tackling your first new year's, what you did this year, and the first time you were in a house decked out for Christmas (your own or someone else's). Hope y'all had a great new year's!

41

Witness World discussion about Demonic Influences

by DevonMcBride in

jw
friends

i just saw this on witness world web site and had a few laughs.

how many of you were this pathetic when you were a witness?

devon

Mysterious

Good article blondie. Me thinks I spy the "power of persuasion" that has influenced a lot of dubs from reading things like that. I certainly recognize some of the same fish tales.

3

Re: Call no one teacher, call no one father

by A Paduan in

i read a post that mentioned how, when questioned, rc clergy didn't know how to respond - i'm not sure what the questions were, but i can imagine it would probably be similar to asking someone (b.c.

), "what about eagles and hawks - god clearly said good humans shouldn't eat eagles and hawks!

i imagine that they may have simply declined to comment, being a little disturbed and even upset by the state of those pursuing the questions - later to pray for them.

Mysterious

I found this on a website. Maybe it's what you're looking for.

The following is the correct Biblical quote:

Matthew 23:9 "Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven."

The key word "your" is in most Bible versions including the King James. The use of this word "your" signifies that only the creator, as Father of the spirit -- that which lasts for all eternity -- is the true "Father." All other references to "father" refer to human beings who in one way or another serve as foster fathers. The argument that "dad" or "pa" or "pop" bears a different significance than the word "father" is to be considered as being close minded. If one calls someone "dad" with the notion that dad is his creator, and believes that this is okay because it does not go against the literal interpretation contained in Scripture, then many messages of Jesus must be considered as rendered useless. The spirit is of God the Father. The material body (that which is mortal) has a human father.
It should be noted that there are 1,511 references to father, fathers. etc. in the King James version of Sacred Scripture. Most of these do not refer to God the Father. There is no admonition by Jesus or anyone else that these usages were wrong. When Jesus used the reference your father it would have had little meaning if the basic concept of father was not clearly understood by being in common usage.
Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife: and they shall be one flesh. [Genesis 2:24]
Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant. [Deut. 33:9]
But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: [Matthew 2:22]
And think not to say within yourselves, We have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham. [Matthew 3:9] ? Jesus here made no reference that their concept of "our father Abraham" was in error.
And going on from thence, he saw other two brethren, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in a ship with Zebedee their father, mending their nets; and he called them. [Matthew 4:21]
And the brother shall deliver up the brother to death, and the father the child: and the children shall rise up against their parents, and cause them to be put to death. [Mat. 10:21]
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. [Matthew 10:37] ? This passage clearly shows that Jesus did not consider the natural use of the term father to be in error, for He Himself uses it in this fashion.
I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. [1 John 2:13]
And the father of circumcision to them who are not of the circumcision only, but who also walk in the steps of that faith of our father Abraham, which he had being yet uncircumcised. [Romans 4:12]
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all, (As it is written, I have made thee a father of many nations,) before him whom he believed, even God, who quickeneth the dead, and calleth those things which be not as though they were. [Romans 4:16-17]
The use of the word "father," in regards to priests, only means that a priest acts as a spiritual guide under the authority of God the Father. No one in their right mind thinks that each priest is God the Father or that any human being is their creator. Jesus made this statement to help us focus on our true origins and upon that which has lasting value. This type of message is called a metaphor. It is figurative language used as a method of teaching and not meant to be taken literally. It is a way of getting across a message.

One's human father provides for the needs of this life during growth and also acts as teacher and moral guide for the mind and the spirit. A priest is called father because he is intended to act as a link to spiritual values that otherwise would be without authoritative foundation.

If one has a concordance -- a catalog of words found in the Bible -- he should look up the word "father" and see the many different ways the term is used in Scripture, particularly in the New Testament. The term "father" in the King James version is used 541 times in the Old Testament and 311 times in the New Testament for a total of 852 times. When Biblical passages are taken out of context and/or interpreted literally one is often going to be in error.

And this one:

Doesn?t the Bible say ?call no man Father?? Why, then, do we call our Priests, ?Father??

Bible Geek's Answer:
This is a very common question, usually posed to Catholics by non-Catholics of various Christian denominations. Some folks ask with genuine interest, unfortunately others ask in an attempt to ?trap? Catholics or point out supposed ?flaws? in our faith practices.
It?s actually not that difficult to explain.
Most people base this question on the verse in Matthew, ?Call no one on earth your father; you have but one Father in heaven.? ? Mt 23:9
There are just a few points we need to know to explain this verse.
1. When someone uses this text to say we shouldn?t call our priests ?Father? they?re doing what is called ?proof texting.? Basically, proof texting is when someone takes a passage or verse out of context, and skews its meaning, ignoring the intended and real context of what was being said?er, written, in this case.
If we read the verses immediately before this one (Mt 23:7-8) and immediately after it (Mt 23:10-11), we see Christ also tell the disciples to call no one ?Rabbi?, ?Teacher?, or ?Master?.
But the apostles, themselves, guided and inspired by the Holy Spirit go on to call the bishop a ?teacher? in 1 Timothy 3:2, and use the term ?Master? in Ephesians 4:1. St. Paul even says that he was ?appointed a teacher? (1 Tim 2:7). They recognized that Jesus was using the titles as a hyperbole, to stress a point. (See Mark 9:47 for another example of Jesus doing this).
2. Jesus was trying to show that God transcends any formal or earthly title or distinction?He?s bigger than that, bigger than anything on Earth that could compete with Him. That does not mean, however, that people on Earth cannot participate in Christ?s fatherhood. Remember, when you were baptized, you were baptized ?priest, prophet and king.? (If you don?t understand exactly what that means, ask your parish priest or youth minister just how significant this fact is).
3. Also, we need to realize more personally and more fully the words in Ephesians:
?For this reason I kneel before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named?? ? Eph 3:14-15
This is showing us that, as children of God, we are all intimately ?tied into? God as Father, and all creation is ?wrapped up? in His Fatherhood. We couldn?t escape it if we tried! We participate in God?s fatherhood, each and every time we evangelize or help spread the Gospel message, (read 1 Cor. 4:15).
We call our priests ?Father? because we recognize their ?fatherly? and pastoral ministry, in the family of God and among the children of God. They shepherd the faithful, and guide us and protect us in a very fatherly way.
Remember:
Jesus wasn?t saying that we should ?ban? the word father from our language?if He was, than every time a little kid called their Dad, ?father? they would be committing a grave sin in the eyes of God (that is, if we really took this verse literally).
If that was the case, than we?d have to shut down ?Hallmark? for making all of those ?Father?s Day? cards.
We?d be celebrating ?Male Parent?s Day? every June.
Now THAT sounds stupid.
For additional verses that use these ?taboo? terms, check out:
Acts 7:2, Rom 9:10, 1 Cor 4:14-15, 1 John 2:13-14, 2 Tim 1:11, Eph 4:11, Job 29:16, Is 22:20-21, 2 Kings 2:12, Gen 45:8

Additional links:

http://www.staycatholic.com/call_no_man_father.htm
http://www.protomartyr.org/father.html
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&safe=off&q=%22call+no+one%22+father+bible