Posts by ezekiel3

37

Watchtower Aug. 15, 1968 says to ignore Jesus about tthe time of the end..

by AloneinOh in

jw
friends

talking about 1975 and the push by the society got me to looking at some older quotes.

this one here really bugged me and still pisses me off when i read it.

in this instance they are telling you to forget about jesus and listen to the society.

ezekiel3

From the WT CD 2003:

***w68 8/15 pp. 500-501 Why Are You Looking Forward to 1975? ***
1975! . . . AND FAR BEYOND!
34 Bible chronology is an interesting study by which historic events are placed in their order of occurrence along the stream of time. The Watch Tower Society over the years has endeavored to keep its associates abreast with the latest scholarship that proves consistent with historic and prophetic events recorded in the Scriptures. Major problems in sacred chronology have been straightened out either due to fulfillment of Bible prophecies or by reason of archaeological discoveries or because better Bible translations convey more clearly the records of the original languages. However, several knotty problems of chronology of a minor nature are not yet resolved. For example, at the time of the exodus from Egypt when Jehovah changed the beginning of the year from autumn time on the secular calendar to spring time on the sacred calendar, was there, in the Jewish calendar, a loss or a gain of six months??Ex. 12:1, 2.
35
One thing is absolutely certain, Bible chronology reinforced with fulfilled Bible prophecy shows that six thousand years of man?s existence will soon be up, yes, within this generation! (Matt. 24:34) This is, therefore, no time to be indifferent and complacent. This is not the time to be toying with the words of Jesus that "concerning that day and hour nobody knows, neither the angels of the heavens nor the Son, but only the Father." (Matt. 24:36) To the contrary, it is a time when one should be keenly aware that the end of this system of things is rapidly coming to its violent end. Make no mistake, it is sufficient that the Father himself knows both the "day and hour"!
36
Even if one cannot see beyond 1975, is this any reason to be less active? The apostles could not see even this far; they knew nothing about 1975. All they could see was a short time ahead in which to finish the work assigned to them. (1 Pet. 4:7) Hence, there was a ring of alarm and a cry of urgency in all their writings. (Acts 20:20; 2 Tim. 4:2) And rightly so. If they had delayed or dillydallied and had been complacent with the idea the end was some thousands of years off they would never have finished running the race set before them. No, they ran hard and they ran fast, and they won! It was a life or death matter with them.?1 Cor. 9:24; 2 Tim. 4:7; Heb. 12:1.

18

What was Russell? Really?

by IP_SEC in

what was ct russell?

freemason?

rosicrucian?.

ezekiel3

I was amused to see your image collection. Despite their obvious Masonic/Eygyptian references the images are still proudly displayed in many Kingdom Halls and Assembly Halls.

The images appear in old convention photos and magazine covers used as decor. I am always humored by the paganism rife in "God's House."

27

Mindless Meetings and Bored Dubs

by TheListener in

"we'd like to excuse those that have talks in the second school, and those that would like to listen.".

alright, so i am sitting at the meeting last week and i hear that very typical repetitive announcement.

i start to look around and i realize that it is the same people every week who go to the back to sit in the second school.

ezekiel3

Listener:

Spot on. Your observations are reflected in every congregation I know.

17

Awake! now monthly!!! - KM Mar/05 in Portuguese with translation

by observador in

jw
friends

folks, now we have a scan!

only now i was able to put my hands on the mar/05 km.

too bad it is in portuguese, but i'm providing a translation of paragraph 6, which is what really matters.

ezekiel3

Make you you read the KM while spinning in place until dizzy. It will make more sense...especially when you hit the floor.

38

Do Jehovah's Witnesses Depend on Mental Illness?

by metatron in

jw
friends

if you still go to meetings, take a good look around the kingdom hall next time you attend and think about what you are.

likely seeing.. many witnesses will sit in a half-awake mode - despite confronting a risk to life or limb in attending, because of bad weather or the sort.

of neighborhood the hall is located in.

ezekiel3

It is like faith healing on lay-away.

My new favorite phrase, thanks XQ!

66

Bill Bowen on VH-1 discussing jw sex abuse!! (MichaelJackson biography)

by sf in

i am, right now, watching vh-1's history of the jacksons and in particular, the charges filed against him.. they just showed how mrs. jackson became a devout jw, showed the kh, and a few wt mags.

then, without expecting it, there was bill bowen!

talking about the epidemic of abuse in this church.

ezekiel3

Link to Silent Lambs bulletin: http://www.silentlambs.org/newsletter/NewsLetterItem.cfm?SendoutID=331

Mulan: I agree that Bill is drawing conclusions on things never expressly stated by WTS. But look below and tell me what conclusion a typical outsider would draw anyway?

*** w73 2/1 p. 74 Are You Living for What You Can Get Out of Life Now? *** The Bible condemns loose conduct, and it is clear that toying with sexual immorality is loose conduct, which can result in disfellowshiping. (Gal. 5:19; Mark 7:21-23) A person is merely fooling himself if he thinks such unclean conduct is acceptable as long as intercourse is avoided. Dating one of the opposite sex is not mere recreation but should have marriage in view. If a person does not have marriage in view or is too young to take on marriage responsibilities, then he ought to examine his motives as to why he wishes to have dates with one of the opposite sex. In what direction is he proceeding, or, stated another way, for what is he beginning to live?

*** g02 10/22 p. 19 Do I Need a Mobile Phone? *** Some youths thus use mobile phones to establish secret contact with those of the opposite sex. Some have dropped their guard, bypassing standards they would normally observe when communicating with others.

This missing caveat to Bill's statement is that disfellowshipping does not occur until fornication. However, I have known numerous people who have been reproved or otherwise disciplined for "recreational dating" including phone use.

While Bill may discredit himself on written evidence, I am here as an active JW to support the practical validity of his statement. It happens.

49

MJ Prediction thread..all prophets apply...

by Brummie in

jw
friends

mr michael jacksons trial starts in a couple of weeks.

predict the outcome here and i'll check back after the trial is over to see who amongst us really has the gift of prophecy.... guilty/not guilty...?

you decide.

ezekiel3

Like I say, you heard it here first...

http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/8/84323/1.ashx

66

Bill Bowen on VH-1 discussing jw sex abuse!! (MichaelJackson biography)

by sf in

i am, right now, watching vh-1's history of the jacksons and in particular, the charges filed against him.. they just showed how mrs. jackson became a devout jw, showed the kh, and a few wt mags.

then, without expecting it, there was bill bowen!

talking about the epidemic of abuse in this church.

ezekiel3

Incredible publicity.

May I say, I'm getting so good at this prophecy thing...

Micheal Jackson will be found guilty on some counts, will not serve time in prison due to his mental state, and will be devestated financially when his estate is liquidated during subsequent civil suits.
As part of MJ's defense, his lawyers will paint him as a victim of child abuse during his surreal childhood as a pop star. His upbringing as a Jehovah's Witness will be brought to light as a fertile environment for his own sexual molestation as a boy.
MJ will end up stripped of his magic bubble though enabled by fans desperate to ignor the truth about this victim monster, an iconic one-man freakshow.

From the post on http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/84173/1382747/post.ashx#1382747

24

Comments You Will Not Hear at the 1-30-05 WT Study (Abbreviated)

by blondie in

comments you will not hear at the january 30, 2005 wt study (december 15, 2004)

review comments

will be in black and parentheses ().

ezekiel3

Neither is it a charm, or a talisman?as if we could shut our eyes, let our Bible fall open at random, and then expect the answer to our questions to appear on the page before us.
Are JWs doing this?

A phrase I have heard repeated is "the Bible is frozen holy spirit" and that you have to use it to "thaw it's power."

Letting a book "fall open" is a metaphysical practice. Commonly used with sacred books, the idea is that a non-physical power will direct you to a certain passage you need to read. A variant superstition is if a book falls from a shelf, you are meant to read from the page the book opens to.

*** g99 10/22 pp. 3-4 Superstitions?How Widespread Today? ***
Alluding to this derivation, the book Superstitions states: "The superstitions that still exist today stand above the ages that attempted to obliterate them." Consider just a few examples of the persistence of superstitions...
A person opens the Bible at random and reads the text that first meets his eye, believing that those words will provide the particular guidance he needs at the moment.

So that's uncanny spiritism is it? Then I wonder how many people were led by Satan to JWs?

*** yb96 p. 48 Asia and Islands of the Pacific ***
A young man in Thailand had heard a missionary witness to his older sister, but he did not express interest. He was involved in spiritism. Then one day he picked up a Bible, opened it at random, and read 1 Peter 2:9, where it says that God called his people "out of darkness into his wonderful light." This scripture puzzled him, and he began thinking of the missionary.

*** w81 1/1 pp. 21-22 "Engaging in the Holy Work of the Good News" ***
God?s acceptance and blessing continue on this preaching work, including the important house-to-house activity of locating and helping persons. As just one indication, a minister who visits congregations in a large district accepted an invitation to accompany a Christian in Maryland on a call to conduct a Bible study. He says:
"I asked the householder what motivated her to study the Bible with Jehovah?s Witnesses. She said that often she would open the Bible at random, point her finger at a verse and read it. But she seldom could understand what she read.
"One day she was very depressed over serious family problems. Again she opened her Bible and picked out a verse. She could not understand it, and in her depression and disappointment began to cry. She prayed to God to send her someone to help her understand his Word. Just as she said that, the doorbell rang. Answering it she found a Witness, who began, ?Would you like to understand the Bible?? The householder pulled her inside and quickly a regular study was begun."

*** g70 10/22 pp. 13-14 Turning Point in a Priestly Career ***
One particular evening I had no such book on hand, so I had to fall back on my pocket edition of the Nácar-Colunga Version of the Bible. Not knowing where to start, I opened the Bible at random and began reading at Exodus chapter 19. All went well until I reached chapter 20, verses four and five.
What a surprise to find in the Word of God a text condemning the making and worshiping of images! I could hardly believe my eyes! I had always viewed the Bible as sacred. I closed the Bible and pondered. "How is it possible?" I thought to myself. "Have they been deceiving me all this time?" My next thought?"I should not be thinking this way about our church?s teaching, for I could be consigned to hellfire."
Again I opened the Bible to finish out my half hour of reading, and this time it fell open at Isaiah chapter 40. By the end of the time allotted I had reached Isaiah 42:8, where it says: "I am, Jehovah is my name, I give my glory to no other, neither to idols the honor that is due me." Once more I realized with a jolt that the Bible was speaking to me directly and emphasizing that God is not pleased with the worship of images. How confused I felt! Could it be that my religion was on the wrong track? Just then the bell signaled that it was time for bed.

It is possible that JWs got this idea from reading the publications??

19

My Eyes Popped Right Out Of My HEAD!!!!!!!

by Sunspot in

jw
friends

whew!

sigh of relief!.

i don't know if this has been mentioned yet or not----but as the new opening page came up today when i first logged on here, and before i calmed down and actually *read* it (chicken-liver me---i was afraid to read it) i thought that this site had been shut down!!!!!!.

ezekiel3

Yeah, I'll take this moment to thank Simon for my favorite addition.