Posts by Village Idiot

40

Spiritual AMNESTY -- Return to Jehovah

by FusionTheism in

basically, from what i can tell from the new return to jehovah brochure, is that the governing body is now offering amnesty to anyone who has been gone from the congregation but now wants to return.. it claims it doesn't matter what sins you've done, or what caused you to leave, if you repent to jehovah and ask the elders to help you, and return to the meetings, you'll be warmly welcomed with no disciplinary action or judgment against you..

Village Idiot

I live by the motto that "You catch more flies with honey" and "A positive change is always good, even if many negative things remain."

Why should we want to attract flies?

I've learned over the past decade that being kind, civil, friendly is much more persuasive than beating someone over the head and condemning their core beliefs.

Like kindly pointing out that we're mentally diseased? Why should they want someone who is diseased back into their religion? After all we might spread the disease.

It is my hope that some people in the Bethel Headquarters may see some of my suggestions and take them to heart.

Like the old saying goes, "The shit rolls downhill." People in Bethel do not have any control over the society's policies. Only the Governing Body does.

With that said, there are absolutely things that have been done wrong, are being done wrong, and need to be addressed immediately before the Society can be considered something besides a cult.

The organization does not make mistakes, it is a mistake.

17

Do You Remember The Days When The Society Would Say Everything Pictured Something About Them?😇

by minimus in

jw
friends

when you look at the society's literature, it is pretty comical to see how important they believed they were.

it seems to be not as bad under the new regime but they certainly believe they are a special people.

lol

Village Idiot

Crazyguy, "How about one of the angels in the book of revelations was Russell himself."

There is this gem from The Finished Mystery. The words in bold are the words from the scripture. The following text after the dash is their interpretation. Here is their interpretation of Revelation 16:8-10

And power was given unto him to scorch men.—Greek “The Men,” i. e., the worshipers of the beast and his image.

With fire.—Perhaps some of the clergy became a trifle warm as they read Volume IV, as their later conduct seems to suggest. Why they should have disliked Pastor Russell when he told the truth, and proved it, is remarkable.

And men.—Greek “The Men;” the clergy. In Rev. 8:9 the clergy are not so honored.

Were scorched with great heat.—Became warm, indignant at the Pastor's kindly explanation of the whore and the harlots, and the plainly evident application to the Papacy and the Protestant sects.

And blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues.—Misrepresented the name and character of the mighty one, Pastor Russell, to whom the Lord committed the task of presenting to His Church this meat in due season.

And they repented not to give Him glory.—“One great obstacle to many is the contracted idea generally entertained of the meaning of the word god. They fail to note that the Greek theos (god) does not invariably refer to Jehovah, but signifies a mighty one. In the following texts the word god (theos) is used to refer to others than the one supreme being, Jehovah—viz.:—John 10:34, 35; Acts 7:40, 43; 17:23; 1 Cor. 8:5.”—B. 274.

16:10. And the fifth [angel].—Volume V, of Studies.

27

To My Generation: Jehovah's Witnesses of the Vietnam War Era

by Hold Me-Thrill Me in

jw
friends

to my generation: jehovah's witnesses of the vietnam war era .

if you were a young brother in the late 60's you then remember the burden of the draft and the prospect of going to jail for refusing on religious grounds to be called up.

in those days we were taught that to do community service was conscientiously the same as joining the military and so we were told to refuse such exemptions.

Village Idiot

Hold Me-Thrill Me,

"Were you ever told by the Circuit Overseer to drop a study because they had not made enough progress after 8 or 9 months?"

I had an elder in the early 70s and before 1975 who told me to do that. That made me look like an ass.

88

Damned if they do, Damned if they don't

by FusionTheism in

jw
friends

i see an attitude among some people here which is not very helpful.

i can understand it, but still, it's not constructive or helpful.. if you condemn the society for not changing, but then you also condemn them when they do change in a positive way, what incentive or motive does that provide for the people at the society to ever want to change for the better?.

also, what does that attitude look like to current witnesses who are having doubts?.

Village Idiot

* "The Society finds crazy Types and Antitypes in everything, where it doesn't exist. Way too many deep layers of nonsense being taught."

There are many other crazies in their theology.

* (After the New Light): "The Society is way too simplistic and dumbed down. What happened to the deep study?"

That's true. Should we apologize for bringing that up?

And when they recently have admitted to errors and say they've been wrong in big ways in the past, some accuse them of having some secret conspiracy theory motive behind it.

It is mock humility which they see themselves forced to admit probably because they've been getting a deluge of negative letters from the rank and file on the subject. Take a look at what they haven't admitted.

To the people with this attitude: What exactly is it that you WANT the Society to do?

Die.

26

At the RC now part 2

by All for show in

jw
friends

ok... my other thread i cant respond.

we went to shut up our family... but myhusband is seething and said his brain has shut off.. the stupid is amazing.. they are playing videos that are lame and pointless for the first symposium.. for the first symposium... they asked why the bible has no pictures.

because it was before photography...jesus used word pictures!!

Village Idiot

...they asked why the bible has no pictures. Because it was before photography.

Could not the writers of the Bible have made line drawings?

11

May JW Broadcasting Video about the Money Problems

by FusionTheism in

in the video, they repeatedly talk about these big ugly misunderstandings that have taken place between the circuit overseers and the elders,, at least partially, leading to their current money problems fiasco.. if the governing body were intentionally lying, wouldn't they lie to make themselves and their elders look better, instead of worse?.

what would the motive be for them to tell everyone about these big misunderstandings?.

Village Idiot

DATA-DOG, "The flock exists to be managed by them."

The purpose of a flock is to be eaten.

10

Planning for the future: Funerals

by enigma1863 in

my dad is now the only jw in my family.

i am technically inactive.

i am concerned about when he dies.

Village Idiot

That's a tough decision. Since the family is not in the religion I would choose a religiously neutral ceremony. Remember, funerals are for the living.

49

Brave high school student exposes abuse and corruption within Jehovahs witnesses

by Watchtower-Free in

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdvt_gyq-ls&feature=youtu.be.

Village Idiot

I had the volume up at maximum but I still could hardly hear it.

26

Witnesses called for a bible study

by umbertoecho in

hello all.. i haven't been here for some time to post as mainly i read the comments and such.

yesterday was a really interesting, unnerving experience though.

two sisters had called last week when i had an abscess on my tooth and was sort of sick from it.

Village Idiot

If I were them and had some savvy I would have brought the book Make Sure of all Things: Hold Fast to What is Fine which is a compilation of Bible quotes arranged by topic. It is the best way to frame a Biblical conversation, from their point of view, and is useful even for dunces who have only a vague idea of what they believe.

60

Ten Commandments

by EA916 in

should we still be keeping the 10 commandments?

Village Idiot

EA916

First, we must recognize that the Bible does not say God supports slavery. In fact, the slavery described in the Old Testament was quite different from the kind of slavery we think of today - in which people are captured and sold as slaves. According to Old Testament law, anyone caught selling another person into slavery was to be executed:"

You are obviously not reading the scripture citations I have provided. The Bible does promote permanent slavery of captured non-Israelites. You are avoiding that by mentioning laws that applied to Hebrew slaves and even then there were provisions for permanent slavery for Hebrew women. I'll quote once more what has already been quoted here:

44 “‘Your male and female slaves are to come from the nations around you; from them you may buy slaves. 45 You may also buy some of the temporary residents living among you and members of their clans born in your country, and they will become your property. 46 You can bequeath them to your children as inherited property and can make them slaves for life, but you must not rule over your fellow Israelites ruthlessly. - Leviticus 25:44-46 New International Version

You may claim that the scriptures somehow mean something else but basic sense says otherwise.