dothemath

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Posts by dothemath

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  26

  Ok, lets set the record straight was it a CROSS or a STAKE

  by Witchs Son in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  and what would you say about the book often referenced by the society as a backing for the stake theory, the non-christian cross by j. d. parsons ?.

  you can also download it here if you prefer.

  i know that book was written in 19th century so i hope that won't be used as an argument against it after all sir isaac newton's principia was written in 1687 and we aren't holding that against it either.

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  dothemath

  just read my post.........sorry about the spelling.........getting late I guess
• 
  26

  Ok, lets set the record straight was it a CROSS or a STAKE

  by Witchs Son in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  and what would you say about the book often referenced by the society as a backing for the stake theory, the non-christian cross by j. d. parsons ?.

  you can also download it here if you prefer.

  i know that book was written in 19th century so i hope that won't be used as an argument against it after all sir isaac newton's principia was written in 1687 and we aren't holding that against it either.

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  dothemath

  I was quite interested in this topic a while ago.........and did quite a bit of research.

  It seems bizarre that Witnesses examine scriptures to the smallest detail, but when it comes to the evidence right in the gospels, their reasoning goes out the window.

  Matt. 27: 37 has Pilate putting the infamous sign above Jesus' head, not his hands.

  And I think it's been mentioned about Thomas exclamation of "seeing the print of the NAILS in Jesus' hands.......yet in every picture portrayed in the literature they show one nail.

  I've also read that it would be far more difficult to stay alive for very long if your arms were fastened above your head in that manner........very difficult to breathe, not to mention your arms losing all circulation. Yet the whole point of this manner of death was to make it last for some time.

  A recent article on this (March 1, 2008 Watchtower) mentions on pg. 22.............."more important, no matter what device was used fopr the torture and execution of Jesus, no image or symgoll of it should become an object of devotion or worship for Christians." (the article still mentions the argument of the stauros, etc. but it seems to give the impression they're not so dogmatic about the topic)
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  41

  If Adam did not sin, would humans have lived forever on earth?

  by jwfacts in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  the new testament talks consistently of a heavenly hope, not an earthly one and the idea that humans are to live forever on earth is not supported scripturally at all.. however, what would have happened if adam and eve had not sinned.

  the watchtower likes to make the point that it is only sin that caused adam and eve to die.

  romans 5:12 that is why, just as through one man sin entered into the world and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men because they had all sinned.. what do christians believe regarding this scripture?

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  dothemath

  This assumption is made in virtually every publication put out by the Watchtower.......(that Adam and Eve would have lived forever if they hadn't sinned, and that we would be living forever also)

  Something I've never seen discussed at all, though is ......what if they remained faithful....... do you really think all their offspring would have followed their example?

  Even some of God's angels in heaven disobeyed Him........I doubt that every single human from that moment on would have proved righteous and remained perfect.

  We can only speculate.......but it seems that eventually you would end up with some Cains or Nimrods, who would even have killed any perfect people they could.

  I think it was inevitable that we would end up with all the imperfection we have today........It's a big test.
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  2

  A Possible New Layout for the 2007 Service Report?

  by ThomasCovenant in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  this is just a thought that has probably already been proposed here before but after looking at the 'official' watchtower site i think maybe the latest service report for 2007 will follow the format of.

  http://www.watchtower.org/e/statistics/worldwide_report.htm .

  missing out the percentage increase (decrease) from the previous year.. i think the following year they will also leave out the ever decreasing (increasing) number of memorial partakers.. just my thoughts.

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  dothemath

  That's probably something they would like to do.......they've always been so focused on numbers, but for quite some time now they have not been very impressive.

  In our congregation when they comment on the annual report, everyone seems to gloss over the negatives and talk about some "dramatic increase" (usually a small island where the #'s jumped from 5 to 7 publishers creating a huge % increase).

  It'll be interesting to see the 2007 report......
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  6

  Auxiliary Pioneers

  by dothemath in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  a recent meeting stressed the usual pioneering for march and april.........in canada they want to reach a new peak of 20,000 auxiliary pioneers.. the article mentioned that would only require 20% of each congregations publishers.. we're not even close in our congregation........so far 4 out of 90 pubs.

  how is the push going in other areas?.

  i have my doubts they'll reach their goal..........will have to wait and see.

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  dothemath

  A recent meeting stressed the usual pioneering for March and April.........in Canada they want to reach a new peak of 20,000 auxiliary pioneers.

  The article mentioned that would only require 20% of each congregations publishers.

  We're not even close in our congregation........so far 4 out of 90 pubs. (4.4%)

  How is the push going in other areas?

  I have my doubts they'll reach their goal..........will have to wait and see. (I know I'm not signing up)
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  46

  C.O. is in town, the harassment begins...

  by PeachRose in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i haven't been to meetings in a long time (trying to fade).

  ever so often i do run into a witness or 2 who are friendly, but reserved (after all i am considered in active).

  anyway, my hubby & i are currently working on a letter to send to the society that will more then likely get us df'd or disassociated (same thing i guess).

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  dothemath

  Re: On the Way Out

  ("I am going to accept a visit from the CO and DO in about three weeks. That is because I am an active witness, who has just stepped down as an elder, by submitting a letter about my doubts. I am going to keep saying that I have doubts (really I no longer doubt that the GB is wrong) but I will discuss it no further. I feel that this is a necessary step in my fading away gracefully..................." )

  Just curious how this stragegy will work for you..........I too was an elder and also have numerous doubts about the "truth" .

  Hope you find time to let us know how it goes.
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  12

  Tithing

  by dothemath in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the society has always been against tithing..........a stand they took from early times and which hasn't changed............ do you think they now wish they had incorporated tithing, with all the money they seem to be requiring.

  (ex.- every year the donation options mentioned prominently in the watchtower).

  tithing has obviously worked well for the mormons, what would happen if they now decided to include this "principle" today?.

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  dothemath

  The Society has always been against tithing..........a stand they took from early times and which hasn't changed...........

  Do you think they now wish they had incorporated tithing, with all the money they seem to be requiring. (Ex.- every year the donation options mentioned prominently in the Watchtower)

  Tithing has obviously worked well for the Mormons, what would happen if they now decided to include this "principle" today?

  The donations I give are almost nill.......just a token.
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  world cup

  by dothemath in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  i tried to watch some soccer a couple of days ago.......but fell asleep.

  i'm afraid it just isn't my cup of tea..........especially after the great nhl playoffs we just had.. just trying to understand why it's the world's number one sport (or so i hear)..............i'm sure there are a few soccer fans out there, what do you like about it?

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  dothemath

  I tried to watch some soccer a couple of days ago.......but fell asleep. I'm afraid it just isn't my cup of tea..........especially after the great NHL playoffs we just had.

  Just trying to understand why it's the world's number one sport (or so I hear)..............I'm sure there are a few soccer fans out there, what do you like about it?
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  6

  Shave heads?

  by dothemath in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  .

  just a few weeks before the district convention, there was a brother playing a major part in the drama who decided to shave his head.........(there wasn't a lot there anyway) (this happened 3 or 4 years ago somewhere in canada).

  as a result, he was told he could no longer be in the drama...........and someone else had to step in on rather short notice.. it seems they still equate everyone with a shaved head as some kind of a "skinhead", belonging to a gang or something.. is this how it's views elsewhere?

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  dothemath

  Just a few weeks before the District Convention, there was a brother playing a major part in the drama who decided to shave his head.........(there wasn't a lot there anyway) (this happened 3 or 4 years ago somewhere in Canada)

  As a result, he was told he could no longer be in the drama...........and someone else had to step in on rather short notice.

  It seems they still equate everyone with a shaved head as some kind of a "skinhead", belonging to a gang or something.

  Is this how it's views elsewhere?
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  9

  Could Advertising This Fact Bring Them Down?

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  as far as i can tell, almost no witness i know is aware that all milk contains blood cells.. see:.

  white blood cells are simply part of milk, human or otherwise.

  any reference work will support this simple fact.. if this fact was widely publicized, again and again, could it create severe trouble for the watchtower?.

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  dothemath

  If the Society was dealing with this issue for the first time right now..........I'm sure they would handle it very differently than when it was in the 1940's (or whenever the doctrine started)

  Now they're stuck with this.......the repurcussions would be far too great to back off completely now. But they are trying..........(ex. - the acceptance of blood fractions)

  They're likely hoping that eventually medicine will develop a synthetic blood product.