Posts by Amazing

7

The need for a GB or FD slave?

by avidbiblereader in

jw
friends

the whole teaching of needing a fd slave hangs on one scripture that really isn't that clear; however in looking at the scriptures how would you/they explain the texts below from the bible, whether they would classify you as a domestic or fellow anointed or other sheep?

hebrews 8:10-12 .

10for this is the covenant that i shall covenant with the house of israel after those days, says jehovah.

Amazing

Abr,

Excellent points you made about St. Paul. Today it is still similar in Catholicism. Mother Teresa, for example, did what she did without Papel approval. In fact, to continue she had to fight Rome. Were she a JW, she would have been DFd for not agreeing and working with the GB.

It is odd that Fred Franzs would see that the Jerusalem Council was not the basis for a GB, and yet he went along with a GB being created. Well, we know that the GB is not about truth, but about power and control.

Jim W.

32

Well that was a hard phone call to make

by SixofNine in

jw
friends

it makes me wonder how i would have handled it if i was a witness?

would i have called?

she's a woman of particular faith; and it's too late for a conversion, and she gets a ticket to the new system anyway, so what a convenient excuse to do nothing.

Amazing

Sixofnine,

Sorry to hear about this terrible news. Stage IV is bad. However, very recently the news reported that cancer cells from both lung cancer and pancreatic cancer were killed by Jalapena' peppers. The results were 100% successful. The suspect ingredient is capsastion (sp?). Anyway, while taking Chemo, using certain dietary items might help. Hopefully the finding will lead to a definite cure. Let her know about iy, and she may want to discuss this with her doctor.

Time is short. My brother in law died of pancreatic cancer. He was able to eek out six months by doing all he could with both medicine, herbs, and certain foods. He was a medical respitory therapist who assisted during operations. So, he had a good handle on medical issues. Anyway, lets hope she can lengthen her time ... but it does look bleak. Let's keep her in our prayers.

Jim Whitney

22

Subject: KN #37 Has had an effect

by purplesofa in

jw
friends

i got this from a witness yesterday.

don't know if it was already posted.. http://www.totalcatholic.com/universe/index.php?news_id=2056&start=0&catego.

ukraine sees friction between jehova's witnesses and mainstream christiansposted on january 03, 2007. .

Amazing

Hi Purple,

Very interesting article. It's sad to see the Catholic and Orthodox leaders in these areas making trouble for the JWs. They simply do not understand how to deal with the JWs, and their hostile actions will only be taken as persecution by the JWs ... and this will only drive some people in Russia and Urkraine, etc. to join the JWs. They need to instead talk to ex-JWs in Europe and America to get the inside scoop on how to expose the JWs, and then leave them be.

Thanks for posting the article,

Jim Whitney

10

DoomsdayClockMovingForward-JWsREJOICE!

by LovesDubs in

jw
friends

just what they needed to hear eh?

doom and more doom and gloom!!

praise jah!scientists to move doomsday clock forwardreuterswashington (jan. 12) - the keepers of the "doomsday clock" plan to move its hands forward next wednesday to reflect what they call worsening nuclear and climate threats to the world.

Amazing

Scientist need to stick to science and stop trying to influence political and social philosophy with their little stupid damn clock. It is as bad as the Watchtower Society constantly talking about Armageddon being right around the corner.

Jim Whitney

7

The need for a GB or FD slave?

by avidbiblereader in

jw
friends

the whole teaching of needing a fd slave hangs on one scripture that really isn't that clear; however in looking at the scriptures how would you/they explain the texts below from the bible, whether they would classify you as a domestic or fellow anointed or other sheep?

hebrews 8:10-12 .

10for this is the covenant that i shall covenant with the house of israel after those days, says jehovah.

Amazing

Hi Abr,

St. Paul was quoting partially from Jeremiah 31:31, I believe ... I don't have a Bible handy.

The fact that there exist "smallest" to the "greatest" in the verse you quote indicates some level of distinction in status. So, the GB might twist it to suit their existence. However, you are quite right about not needing what the JWs call a GB or the larger FDS group. However, the earliest Church was run by local Bishops. Some of these were in greater prominence than others. St. Peter was Bishop of Antioch before moving to Rome and becoming Bishop of Rome. St. Ignatius became Bishop of Antioch, as wel held in high esteem because he was personally groomed by St. Peter.

But, the Church did, and still does, consider "councils" of leaders to have weight and authority. The Council at Jerusalem in Acts is an example the Church considers as the basis to come together to decide matters of faith and morals. The First Ecumenical Council at Nicaea is an example of how the Church copied this example in Acts. It is supposed to be a rare event, attended by leading Bishops of various Holy Sees like Rome, Constantinople, Antioch, Alexandria, etc. After the schism between Rome and the Eastern Church in 1054, these Ecumencial Councils have not been held. Unfortunately, the Pope in Rome (yes there are Popes of other Holy Sees) has taken on too great a power role, and as such he will have to adjust this should the Catholic Church fully reunite with the Eastern Orthodox.

I am saying all of the above because even these great and large historic Churches limit the power and control of their leaders and the role of any ruling council. These Churches would never use the verse in Matthew about the "faithful and wise servant" as the basis to form an ever ruling body that constantly publishes rules and laws and directives. They have always applied ths verse as a parable regarding the conduct of individual Christians.

Jim Whitney

4

If a GB member said something that wasn't ever in PRINT we would not

by What-A-Coincidence in

jw
friends

officially believe it unless it was in a wtbts publication.

being printed in a publication is what makes it official.

at bethel we heard my 'special lectures', they could have been given a a gb member or some other high ranking member.

Amazing

Hi W-A-C,

You are sort of correct in saying that the GB will not admit to what they say, unless it is in print. However, video and even audio tapes are adequate witnesses or evidence of what they did say and thus mean. And, this can be used against them if they direct activity that is unlawful, libelous, or makes them civily responsible for some activity that they orally directed. Also, witnesses to something an Elder said, or a CO said, or DO said, or even a GB person said can be used in testimony. For example, if a GB man directed some unlawful activity by word-of-mouth, RICO laws may come into play in prosecuting him. Also, the organization could be civily sued because their own man, who represents them as a responsible leader, caused harm. The RICO laws were developed initially to go after organized crime syndicates, such as the Mafia. However, these laws have been greatly expanded over the years to go after businesses, and even recently the Catholic Church in one Diocese in the south where the Church allegedly shielded a pedophile Priest.

Af for their useless and pointless religious speculations they make orally, and later deny, well, then it must be in print in The Watchtower or Awake! or the GB can claim it was never said. And, even when they do put it in print, they can within a few year claim that it was old light, and no longer applies.

Jim Whitney

13

Youths leaving...

by Anony-Mouse in

jw
friends

alright, i have a few questions about the 'young ones'.

i've heard that the rate at which younger kids are leaving has increased.

is this true?

Amazing

Anony-Mouse,

You write very well for someone still in high school. Anyway, don't burden yourself with what you should do to get your friends out. Look at your life ahead of you, and decide what and how you want to live. If you want a good professional career, then make plans for college. If you believe in God, then search out good wholesome Christian Churches. There are many good Churches among Protestants, Catholics, and Eastern Orthodox. (Although, being an ex-JW, you might find the ritual of Catholic and Orthodox to be a bit much ... I am Catholic once again, but I grew up in that faith ... so, I have a built in appreciation for it.)

Your friends will see that you are moving on, and will inquire. They will see your example, and take note. You do not need to try and talk them out of the JWs. They will ask, and you can answer. Instead, live your life, and don't look back. When the time is right a great women will come along and you both will make each other's life complete.

Get you college education ... it is vital to decent employment (or self-employment). College will help you with constructive and critical thinking, which is vital to living in today's world which is filled with scams.

Given your ability to write well, I am guessing that you are quite intelligent and get good grades. If that is the case, there are good scholarship programs which will help with the cost. Also, student loans will cover the rest of the cost. You will not regret getting your degree. You will then be in a great position to take on life, have a good life, and see more clearly how to help others when the situation arises.

Jim Whitney

18

WAC needs help. Things were going good until the Elder showed up

by What-A-Coincidence in

jw
friends

background: the fam.

is doing the fade.

everyone but mom (30 years in the org) is completely convinced that it's a scam.

Amazing

WAC,

This is the excuse she gives: "They (org) are imperfect. You should fogive them."

Yes, I tried to use this logic in 1968, when becoming a JW ... but the JW man studying with me said that there is a point of no forgiveness, and one must put truth and God ahead of men. The problem is, the Society will always use the logic that favors choosing it, and simulataneously disfavors all other groups.

Yes, you can forgive, if you forgive the Society ... but not Christian Churches.

Yes, you must leave a religion that does wrong or false things, but you must not leave the Society ... for it is juist imperfection.

Yes, the Elders are only imperfect, and you must look beyond their mistakes, but the mistakes of the Clergy of Christendom are guided by the Devil.

The game is rigged ... and there is not room for intellectual honesty.

Jim Whitney

14

Those who are 50+, do you remember that there was an ice age coming?

by Bonnie_Clyde in

jw
friends

i distinctly remember this from my childhood.

i believe lots of concern and i suppose it was from the scientific community.

now it's global warming, and i'm hearing that 99.9% of the "creditable" scientists believe it.

Amazing

In 1948, just before I was born, pictures were taken of our home just east of Riverside, in southern California. The snow was 4 feet deep. We had cold and cool weather in the 1950s, and in 1966 we have another round of snow ... I recall the clamor that we were entering another ice age. I can recall that we had so much rain in S. California that we would be allowed to stay home from school. The current warming trend is welcome to me.

About a 1,000 years ago the earth entered what we call the Little Ice Age. The sun's energy output lowered, and we had a rash of volcanoes go off at times, which further made the situation worse. There was a lot of suffering in Europe. The Little Ice Age was still going on up through the early beginnings of the United States. The reason I welcome the current warming trend is that 1,000 years ago and beyond, the earth was at its natural level of heat, which allowed farming of remote northern places, like Greenland by the Vikings, and other land far north which cannot be used today for food and growth.

While the earth is warming, I do not believe that it is harmful, nor do I believe that human activity is the prime cause. Recently, I heard it announced on the radio that the sun is back to its normal energy output and is shunning brighter than it has for 1,000 years ... and that this is the prime cause of global warming. Having a science and engineering background, I have not found anything which shows that human activity is a prime factor in warming trends. Former VP Al Gore stated in a speech in California that human activity caused the El Nino' effect, which brings warming weather up north, along with flooding rains instead of snow. The problem is, science discovered the El Nino' effect well over 300-years ago, before human activity accounted for much.

I strongly believe that the average person needs to do a lot more study, keep an open mind, and cool their jets with respect to the strong rhetoric being bantied about. Some of the stuff I read may as well be in a Watchtower magazine, as it is so lacking in facts, and so filled with feelings based on unproven beliefs. Humans need to understand these natural warming and cooling cycles and prepare to meet them head on and survive them, rather than moaning about big corporate conspiracies.

Jim Whitney

40

Noah's Ark ....How did Noah......................

by KAYTEE in

jw
friends

how did noah put bitumen on the underside of the ark, did he get his family to lift it up allowing him to slide under and paint this on?

the underside being the most important face to be treated needed to be waterproof to make sure it did not allow leaks to occur, and had to stand up to extreme conditions for a whole year.

kt.

Amazing

OnTheWayOut,

There is no way they would have built the bottom inside a frame, off the ground. Too big, too heavy, too much time. I imagine they would have coated and dried
each piece of lumber before placing it on the level ground.

I agree with you that the Ark story is a legend. Noah was given (or simply took) 100-years to build the Ark. So, time was not an issue. A scaffold type frame would be necessary, as the wood in contact with the ground for 100-years would have dry-rotted, and it would be too heavy to get to it. By using a scaffold, albeit a big strong set-up, they could coat the underside as it was built, and recoat it every few years as the rest of the Ark was constructed. Once the flood was about to start, Noah could break away the upper scaffold, and the Ark would simply rest on the base. When the rains came down, the Ark would float off the base.

Of course, as you note, there are too many other logistical issues involved. Likewise, there are serious geological and physics issues which make the whole story nonsense.

Jim Whitney