Posts by Lewis

i don't mean subjective, fuzzy dogma that has no empirical basis ... i mean stuff like 1914 and the original idea that it would be end of the world; millions now living will never die; 1975; the generation will not pass away ... ad infinitum.

i have no axe to grind ... i'd really like to know.

Lewis

I wasn't talking about unprovable doctrines like the Trinity or Hellfire. I personally don't believe in them -- not because I know it for a fact -- I'm just not religious.

You can say you don't believe in the Trinity or hell, but since you don't have solid evidence: How do you know? You can only say this is what you believe. There are many earnest Bible scholars that do believe in both of them.

Also, because sincere Hindus believe in reincarnation, does that mean they have the "Truth"?

I mean the WTS's interpretation of scripture like the King of the North/South --- that's changed, right. The Generation thing has changed. Why are they publishing new books and magazines if they have the Truth. It would seem that since they claim to have a unique relationship with YHWH, that one comprehensive book would be enough.

[Wake me when it's over ... or don't]

34

Selling homes and property - pre-1975

by Bonnie_Clyde in

jw
friends

i just had a discussion with a relative who attended the district convention.

he gave me the booklet, "keep on the watch.

" according to him, the speaker who introduced the booklet talked about the people who were stumbled because of the change in understanding regarding "this generation.

Lewis

This is just the kind of back-door reasoning that makes me lose all respect for the WTS. For an organization that micromanaged the lives of the flock (acceptable sexual activity for married people; vasectomies; recreation; friendships; disfellowshipping, etc.), it's hard to imagine they couldn't -- since being YHWH's mouthpiece -- clearly articulate: IT'S NOT GONNA HAPPEN PEOPLE!"

23

Has the Watchtower Society ever been correct?

by Lewis in

jw
friends

i'd really like to know if the wts has ever been correct ... in all honesty.

i don't mean subjective, fuzzy dogma that has no empirical basis ... i mean stuff like 1914 and the original idea that it would be end of the world; millions now living will never die; 1975; the generation will not pass away ... ad infinitum.

i have no axe to grind ... i'd really like to know.

Lewis

I'd really like to know if the WTS has ever been correct ... in all honesty. I don't mean subjective, fuzzy dogma that has no empirical basis ... I mean stuff like 1914 and the original idea that it would be end of the world; millions now living will never die; 1975; the generation will not pass away ... ad infinitum.

I have no axe to grind ... I'd really like to know. Have they ever been correct? And if so, with what?

I didn't leave the WT because of doctrine ... I left because I could no longer live as a Stepford Christian ... the idea of living with 6 million comatose worker bees under draconian overlords -- hey, I just wanted to run naked along the beach before the Watchtower police took the remaining 2 percent of my brain and made it into a complete magazine salesman and/or bird feed.

34

Selling homes and property - pre-1975

by Bonnie_Clyde in

jw
friends

i just had a discussion with a relative who attended the district convention.

he gave me the booklet, "keep on the watch.

" according to him, the speaker who introduced the booklet talked about the people who were stumbled because of the change in understanding regarding "this generation.

Lewis

Thanks for those links! It was like a walk down memory lane. And yes, there are those WT revisionists who say "1975? Huh? What? No way!"

Even though I was young, I can remember people selling their homes, leaving careers so they could pioneer, and cashing in their stocks and bonds. Those were crazy times.

I also remember a special talk at our hall that was by telephone hook-up. It was in 1976 or '77, I think, and the Society's speaker said, 'Just because it didn't happen in 1975, don't be fooled like some of the friends who are putting Armageddon off for five, ten, even 20 years.'

Well, next year will be 30 years -- did I miss something?

57

Can some one explain how 607 is wrong

by XQsThaiPoes in

the watchtower and many others claim something happend in 607. this is based on the idea the bible is acurate.

the watchtower states in a few places 586 is the "real date" but they would make the bible wrong which is a no no.

i know they have a vested interest in 607. i can't figure out why is this such a controversy.

Lewis

Since I'm new here -- maybe this has been explained before. But Scholar, where did you earn your BA and MA in Religious Studies?

scholar
BA MA Studies in Religion

lewis

67

What Are You READING?

by patio34 in

okay, it seems it's high time we had another thread like this!.

for serious reading, i have exceptions to the rulers by amy goodman (goes great with fahrenheit 911!

)the curse of adam by bryan skyles (i think) (it predicts the extinction of males.

Lewis

talesin:

Lewis -- That's so cool. Can you list the titles? I'd love to try my hand at making a book or two over the winter. Thanks.

The ones I presently have are: "The Pop-Up Book" by Paul Jackson; "The Elements of Pop-Up" by David A. Cooper and James Diaz; and "Making Books That Fly, Fold, Wrap, Hide, Pop-Up, Twist, and Turn," by Gwen Diehn.

Of course, going to the library and/or the children's section of larger book stores and checking out for yourself the mechanics of how things work is also good.

Love, Lewis

PS: You're the first person that's had a nice word for me on this site. Thanks.

67

What Are You READING?

by patio34 in

okay, it seems it's high time we had another thread like this!.

for serious reading, i have exceptions to the rulers by amy goodman (goes great with fahrenheit 911!

)the curse of adam by bryan skyles (i think) (it predicts the extinction of males.

Lewis

I'm just finishing the autobiographical "The Spiral Staircase -- My Climb Out of Darkness" by Karen Armstrong. She is British scholar and a former nun who also wrote the "History of God" and "The Battle for God."

It's so amazing to me that there is so many similarities between various authoritarian religious experiences. While a nun she had to hand over her thinking and feelings to her superiors. Then, when she decided to leave, it reads like stark-raving post JW behavior.

I'm also reading some how-to-make "pop-up" books. I'm an artist and I'm making some sexually explicit [imagine] pop-up books for adults.

61

Why I May Vote for Kerry

by roybatty in

jw
friends

i'm a registered republican but i have to admit that after looking at john kerry's web site, i may have to sway my vote his way.

what caught my eye is kerry's attention toward jobs leaving for overseas countries and how the government can at least stop encouraging (and rewarding)large corporations from doing this.

at bush's site, i don't see anything about this huge problem facing america.

Lewis

Crazy151Drinker, honey, take a deep breath ... that's it ... put the down and just relax. It's gonna be OK ...

You're much too overloaded with your black-and-white thinking! Now ask yourself: black/white; white/black. Does that remind you of any propaganda in your past? Hmmmmm?

Come to Daddy!