Fisherman

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Posts by Fisherman

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  53

  What`s the reason some of you think JW`s are in decline ?

  by smiddy3 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  from what i can see no such thing is happening.i became a jw in 1960 and remained for about 30 years and the numbers of active jw`s today in the world are far greater than they were back then.. and here in australia the numbers are much higher than they were back then .. so i don`t see that their in decline or have any worries about losing support .. don`t the numbers speak for themselves ?.

  is it just wishful thinking on your part ?.

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  Fisherman

  Depends on how decline is defined. On the one hand, based on one definition SBF shows numbers compared to other religions declining in numbers. On the other hand Nicolau shows a decline maybe not in overall percentages in growth but in other ways. For example when you go to a convention and not many people get baptized compared to the golden years. Also, everybody thought that the number of anointed would decline and non-anointed would take over the gb but there is no short supply of younger than the other sheep and the great crowd anointed. —And the end did not come within the expected Biblical time frame. Also, the 1914 generation of people linked to the JW preaching work died so what was the point of the preaching work if their rejection of the kingdom message was in fact inconsequential as it relates to them. Obviously it was important to those that became JW. But now it appears that the preaching work is unlinked to 1914 and applies to a new generation of humans not contemporaries or related to 1914. The generation teaching, the end of the 6000 years and the beginning of the Millennium, the great tribulation have not materialized—JW are all in waiting for something to happen…..

  Concurrently, JW have a relationship with God that they enjoy. So as much as JW are waiting and groaning for relief, even if nothing happens, they are still convinced that it will happen. They won’t lose faith because their relationship with God substantiates their beliefs. This is how JW think.
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  39

  Is 1914 still a major belief in JW land ? Or has it been abandoned ?

  by smiddy3 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i just wonder about this topic as it is now 109 years since that date and what was expected to take place has never happened ..

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  Fisherman

  “In the days of those kings..set up a kingdom..” The scripture refers to God’s kingdom set up while earthly governments or kings are still ruling. Compared to “7x will pass over you.. God is ruler… kingdom..” JW extrapolate 1914 but not withstanding 1914 as the date, the scriptures imply a future date when God’s kingdom will rule even if you take JW and 1914 out of the equation. JW also link “Go subduing in the midsts of your enemies.” Which can be interpreted to mean God’s kingdom would be unbeknown to the governments that think they are in power. Another scripture that ties in is: “The kingdom of God is on your midsts.” All of this is ironic and poetic and insidious, checkmating and catching everybody —with or without JW and 1914.
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  39

  Is 1914 still a major belief in JW land ? Or has it been abandoned ?

  by smiddy3 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i just wonder about this topic as it is now 109 years since that date and what was expected to take place has never happened ..

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  Fisherman

  1914 is written in stone because to JW the Messianic Kingdom was set up in heaven circa that year and is now ruling and can intervene in human affairs whenever it likes since the Gentile Times were fulfilled on that date. So, whatever happens or doesn’t happen on earth doesn’t mitigate 1914. It is there “and it will stand till time indefinite” as JW see it. So 1914 isn’t going away.
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  100

  American Healthcare: How your system works

  by Diogenesister in

  1. social
  2. current

  canada has universal healthcare.

  the consensus is that america never will.

  can anyone explain why, please?

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  Fisherman

  Money and more money. People are forced and willingly have no choice to pay everything for their lives but if they have no money then the gov will help after squeezing all the $$$ they can get out of you. Once the gov started regulating the medical business that is the end of it. In a nutshell. No money no interest.
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  37

  The Org. covering up the SHUNNING POLICY !!

  by Phizzy in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  https://avoidjw.org/news/jehovahs-witnesses-mysteriously-deleted-shunning-videos/?fbclid=iwar3jjfsa3zx-4kxrdtjwopmzty-5wxhrxm1-gvjtp9j20ovqfpxh.

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  Fisherman

  df has softened toward those who want to make a comeback. But firm toward those that do to want to return
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  17

  What would Watchtower Corporation(tm) do?

  by punkofnice in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  what would watchtower corporation(tm) do in compromise of their 'north korean style rules' if by publicly removing them, they could get more money and power?.

  if each governing body(tm) member (pee be upon them), were offered a few million quid/bucks each to rescind the barbaric 'no whole blood' rule?.

  i know what i think these fake religionists would do.

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  Fisherman

  Of course they’re true believers.

  Yep. Nothing more to say.
  
  
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  15

  And the lion shall eat straw like the ox

  by Anony Mous in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the above verse is often quoted by jws both in general as a response to the idea of a deathless paradise and/or those promoting vegetarianism or veganism.. a letter in animal frontiers co-signed by nearly a thousand scientists is now warning that meat is crucial for a healthy lifestyle and livestock farming is too important to 'become the victim of zealotry'.. they stated the fact that most humans require the nutrients from eggs, meat and dairy and that plant based alternatives are at least 4x more expensive (which implies much higher energy consumption in the process) and not scalable and outright dangerous to global health to support a large population shift towards them.. they also called out several recent papers for misleading information and even called for the outright retraction of one that said meat substitutions are a viable alternative.. not sure what the modern jw view on this is, i know many people in the borg promoted it back in the day.

  just goes to show that science does not support the notion of a global vegan diet..

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  Fisherman

  The notion that something came out of nothing is utter bullocks unless one is deluded by Krauss’s pseudo-science that nothing is something to begin with. In that case,however, something came out of something -call it nothing. Something must be infinite and that is that.

  Given living organisms to begin with and their inherent drive and nature, organisms change and evolve according to empirical science evidence. But the mechanisms and drives and laws and descriptive properties of the universe could not evolve, they must have always existed or created from something; also, substances such as life, consciousness and love and justice and intelligence must always have existed.

  Evolution could not evolve on its own. It is an inherent nature of organisms that causes them to change towards adaption and survival. Take for example organisms living at the lowest point in the ocean or in very harsh or acid environments. But you still need a living organism to begin with and the evolution mechanism in it.

  The tiger is dressed for the kill. TD pointed out that he couldn’t have been naked in Eden up until the flood. So the question is did they have tigers in Eden and what did they actually eat. And what does the Bible say the tigers ate before the flood
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  46

  Does the WTS have a clergy class (yes-no)

  by blondie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  wt 2021 october p.20 "in contrast, true worshippers of jehovah have no clergy.

  although we respect those who are taking the lead, we accept jesus’ clear teaching: “all of you are brothers.”".

  ijbq article 92 point 6: in contrast, true worshippers of jehovah have no clergy.

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  Fisherman

  reaping the benefits of "clergy penitent"

  Horsefeathers, first of all, elders face judicial committees too and nobodyJW is is laity in JW. And confidentiality laws apply without having a clergy which by definition requires a laity class. Although there is a rank and hierarchy in JW: Brother, Sister, pioneer, ms, elder, co, gb, angel JC, God, there is no clergy and not laity like in christendom who also has laity.

  And again when legislation governs clergy, since JW does not legally have a clergy, the Court decides how legislation applies to jw managers who while being in charge are not clergy because any jw male can also be promoted to elder which is not tge case in christendom where members of the laity are separate and cannot hold office whereas every jw is a minister. You are pretending and closing your eyes to facts.
  
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  46

  Does the WTS have a clergy class (yes-no)

  by blondie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  wt 2021 october p.20 "in contrast, true worshippers of jehovah have no clergy.

  although we respect those who are taking the lead, we accept jesus’ clear teaching: “all of you are brothers.”".

  ijbq article 92 point 6: in contrast, true worshippers of jehovah have no clergy.

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  Fisherman

  Konagirl:

  “Did Jesus Christ, the Head of the Christian congregation, give instructions for his disciples to be divided up into clergy and laity? Nowhere in the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John or in the book of Acts of Apostles or in the book of Revelation are there instructions to split up his disciples into two general classes. His instructions are to the direct contrary. In the temple at Jerusalem, to his disciples and to the crowds of Jews, Jesus said: “But you, do not you be called Rabbi, for one is your teacher, whereas all you are brothers. “ —ka chapter 18 pg 36 wt copyright.

  The JW do not identify as having a clergy and laity class, all brothers. That is how JW self define. How the law applies is not determined in a forum of public opinion.

  Relating to how the law applies to clergy there are legal provisions that specifically apply to clergy such as parking benefits, tax benefits and exemptions and other benefits and laws that govern the clergy depending on jurisdiction but jw doo not subscribe or benefit or are governed by laws that apply to the clergy because they self define as not having a clergy class. But as I explained in my previous post, legislation uses the term clergy broadly to apply to ministers, Rabbis, etc as. With JW all active ministers with no laity. JW elders and shepherd managers don’t benefit from clergy laws or are governed by them because JW do not identify as having a clergy but that is the decided by the Courts when clergy laws are determined to apply to JW. Clergy ir no clergy, JW is a religion with rights protected by the Constitution. Unconstitutional to exclude a religion because they are required to have a clergy.

  Take for example the RCC with a laity class of parishioners. Nobody is laity in JW.
  
  
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  46

  Does the WTS have a clergy class (yes-no)

  by blondie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  wt 2021 october p.20 "in contrast, true worshippers of jehovah have no clergy.

  although we respect those who are taking the lead, we accept jesus’ clear teaching: “all of you are brothers.”".

  ijbq article 92 point 6: in contrast, true worshippers of jehovah have no clergy.

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  Fisherman

  they have a clergy. Elders, Deacons, Bishops, etc. Except they call them Elders, Ministerial Servants, and Circuit Overseers.

  That is not a “clergy” class.