Posts by gdt

36

Found an Awake at the rest stop today..and I knew exactly what to do....

by Dawn in

jw
friends

found it at a rest stop today while traveling.

i thought about tossing it, but decided it had a much better purpose.

it was an issue on what to teach your young child - cute picture of a little girl (about 4 years old) on the cover.. so - i took it to my car, got out a pretty purple pen and wrote on the cover "this religion has a major probelm with pedophiles and is hurtful to young children.

gdt

And what happened with the belief 'if you are going to err, err on the side of grace' ?? unjust and untrue and ................sorry, but not impressed. gdt

101

Hard to get over: No New System

by confusedjw in

i have to tell you something.. i really find it hard getting over the idea of no new system and all that it meant to me.

to be with my children and their children forever in perfect health.. too many days it just leaves me empty.

i just wish i could shake it and enjoy life, but the idea that we just live for 70 years and die kills me.

gdt

GaryB and Mr Seattle,

I hear you, but cannot agree with your bitternness. Without 'preaching' to you, how about reading Gen 42:24,25; 45:24,1 Sam 24:3-6; 267-13; 2 Sam 1:17-27 about Joseph and David. Or maybe 1 Pet.5:6-10 and Phil 4:11-13.

I am not stupid, and I do not endorse the errors made by either the wts or its representatives, no more than any of us can endorse wrongs committed by most every bible writer and prophet, at least truth was faced. and kept on public record in the scriptures. For some years I was on circuit work or pioneering. Any 'lies' I expressed by using wt literature with off statements are regretted. Mind you, not much in recent years though.

But, tell me, who or what is responsible for all the 'good things'? Is it not the same as saying 'there cannot be a God because of all the bad things'.......but who gets any credit for the 'good things'?

When the creator does act toward mankind (and none on earth will ever know) are you and I able to stand before the judgment seat of God with honest hearts? That's really it, isn't it. In the meantime, you and I are wrong and sinners in one way or another. I have never felt that a 'name-tag' or 'label' has anything to do with God's approval.

Are you recommending any particular organization I should research for more truth? Any particular man? Who are your 'brothers in the faith'? Who do you believe is 'the entire association of brothers in the world'?

I will gladly listen to your answers, in the meantime, really be 'mr nice guy' and withdraw your strong judgment of me, unless you have something superior to really offer. And I'll still be happy to share a coffee/beer next time in Seattle!

Cheers,

Geoff.

101

Hard to get over: No New System

by confusedjw in

i have to tell you something.. i really find it hard getting over the idea of no new system and all that it meant to me.

to be with my children and their children forever in perfect health.. too many days it just leaves me empty.

i just wish i could shake it and enjoy life, but the idea that we just live for 70 years and die kills me.

gdt

and MJ and confused, my same thoughts to you both too. beauty is in the eye of the beholder......and that's true of all races, all shapes, all sizes, all colours, of mankind. We are all 'pink' underneath the skin, aren't we?? Hope so.

Maybe time will reveal a more tolerant wt society in handling some matters, maybe not so much this and that, maybe more loving brotherhood whilst still upholding the bible principles etc, in all of this none of us can bring the sun up, and it behooves all of us to care for others as much as we can.

Just my tuppence worth, cheers,

geoff.

101

Hard to get over: No New System

by confusedjw in

i have to tell you something.. i really find it hard getting over the idea of no new system and all that it meant to me.

to be with my children and their children forever in perfect health.. too many days it just leaves me empty.

i just wish i could shake it and enjoy life, but the idea that we just live for 70 years and die kills me.

gdt

Hello there Chris and Gary,

It was interesting to understand your thinking a bit more, and in the final analysis Voltaire was possibly more correct than we give him credit for.

But one cannot but agree with your summary of life. I just worry that there is spite, even hate, perhaps it is resentment and bitterness, from so many here , anti-jw, and the number of posts mentioning anything at all nice or encouraging and helpful to others is so few. But there none the less.

You men must surely read the wt and awake etc, and give credit where it is due surely. Who is in any position of strength when, as you guys have said, it all gets down to 'belief' and each of us must answer to a 'superior power' because none of us bring the sun up!

Take care and my kind thoughts to you,

geoff.

101

Hard to get over: No New System

by confusedjw in

i have to tell you something.. i really find it hard getting over the idea of no new system and all that it meant to me.

to be with my children and their children forever in perfect health.. too many days it just leaves me empty.

i just wish i could shake it and enjoy life, but the idea that we just live for 70 years and die kills me.

gdt

hi dacheech, a quick note to say Rutherford did not write the book of revelation! Was his understanding of the 144,000 correct? Are you saying you are sure there is no group of 'kings and priests' ? No rulers over future earthly system? No priests to help in the sins forgiven department? Or do you think everyone given everlasting life by God would be 'kings and priests'? Over whom?

Just a couple of thoughts. i've got to go now,

cheers,

geoff.

55

Why Jehovah is not included in some Bible.

by homme perdu in

this past saturday i took a trip to the library to find the answer to the thread subject.

according to what i have read the real pronounciation of god's name is lost because of this jews usually identify god as adonai (lord) as a sign of respect.

scholars substituted yhwh with lord.

gdt

Narkissos, re your references and all the material available, for all differing positions on this subject, what are you really saying?

That the name of God is... what? That your and my closeness to the Creator is not benefited by our respect for his name and our attempt to honour his name? That 7000 times a specific name was recorded in the hebrew scriptures and commands from God to praise and honour such specific name not really applicable? That the early Christians felt no closeness to the God of the Hebrews, of which they mostly were? That they were happy just to use descriptive titles for Almighty God, and the Messiah Jesus?

You obviously know God made the message of truth go out to the nations to ' make a people for his name's sake' . Who do you feel is that 'people'?

We could certainly argue about the variations of interpretation and all the 'experts' will differ, but the basic truth surely is that Jesus came to 'make your name manifest' as he said to his Father, in all its various ways, is it not? We would benefit from a few more Qumran's and Essene writings but most of all the actual originals....then all we have to do is be sure we understand that language terms and meaning of the particular time periods....easy!

Cheers,

geoff.

101

Hard to get over: No New System

by confusedjw in

i have to tell you something.. i really find it hard getting over the idea of no new system and all that it meant to me.

to be with my children and their children forever in perfect health.. too many days it just leaves me empty.

i just wish i could shake it and enjoy life, but the idea that we just live for 70 years and die kills me.

gdt

hi mr seattle and mj especially, and the efforts to list wts statements re 'inspired'.

My response? Not once, never, has the wts used the expression 'inspired' applicable to itself. The writers of the Bible? yes. A translation into English? no. but i doubt any scholar today could be emphatic about material not yet unearthed, as is much of the original scripture. But as i see it, those early christians were not 'inspired' by holy spirit but were 'all the other words'.......owzat?

But, all the other similarities, as I take it, say no more than when God's spirit was poured out at Pentecost, and the recipients were to prophesy etc. We know that there were errors made by such recipients, some expecting Jesus' return then, but they were counselled to learn more about the times and the seasons. But whilst their understandings were in error, should we say they were apostates? anti-christ? Much of the christian greek scriptures is to correct the thoughts of some in the congregations, and when Christ at his return in kingdom power does inspect his congregations, (rev.3) are they in Jesus' forecast any better or worse than the wts or congregation of jw's?

Don't think so. So where does it leave us? It should prevent us from arrogance, from misuse of authority, and it should keep us humble and not dogmatic. And not a judge either.

After my years of study etc, i am not as knowledgeable as many posters here on the board and i see many examples of 'knowledge puffs up' in people in and out of the truth, but an effort to have genuine love to build up is more vital, is it not? And whilst having a word here, can i just say that our creator must surely look down on all of us and feel like he did for the Ninevites (and even for the animals). but then it is not up to me to even think what God must think.....I take the words from Jonah credited to God as true, and i just wish good health and good inner peace for all of you. and another thought.......at least no one has been killed by witnesses in any war and blood-guiltiness does not rest on any witnesses for supporting war-mongering nations mentioned in rev.16.

Please, this is not a 'blood issue' discussion either.

Thanks for listening, i did read all references mentioned on this thread, thanks.

geoff. gdt

55

Why Jehovah is not included in some Bible.

by homme perdu in

this past saturday i took a trip to the library to find the answer to the thread subject.

according to what i have read the real pronounciation of god's name is lost because of this jews usually identify god as adonai (lord) as a sign of respect.

scholars substituted yhwh with lord.

gdt

May I suggest that the Web pages on YHWH or Yahweh/Jehovah be studied carefully, it would alleviate everyone's differing opinions on this subject.

If it is true that the Name of God was used over 7,000 times (and it is true); and if it is true that Jesus and the apostles used that name in their words/writings (and that is also true); and if is is true that we are told by Christ Jesus to 'sanctify', 'hallow', that name as he did, it would seem that we all should be most careful about disrespecting God's name in our words or actions. Surely.

The exact way to pronouce YHWH is still unsure, the Anglicized version being Yahweh or Jehovah, no more original that using 'Jesus' as an Anglicized word that the original 'Jehoshua' or similar, but identifying the Father and the Son by Jehovah or Jesus is not being disrespectful to either of them.

James Tabor, Chair, Department of Religious tudies, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, is quoted as follows:

"If anyone could be labeled as a Christian, you might think it would be Paul, until you take a longer view. He is preaching the Hebrew God, Yahweh or Jehovah. He is telling the Gentiles about the Hebrew Bible. He expects them to be very Judaized.........cont."

I have personally seen the tetragrammaton YHWH in Hebrew on the Moabite stone, and other ancient records, and its use in the Bible confirms that the Creator identified himself this way for very good reasons, which we should know.

Cheers,

gdt.

101

Hard to get over: No New System

by confusedjw in

i have to tell you something.. i really find it hard getting over the idea of no new system and all that it meant to me.

to be with my children and their children forever in perfect health.. too many days it just leaves me empty.

i just wish i could shake it and enjoy life, but the idea that we just live for 70 years and die kills me.

gdt

Not one of the WT Society writers ever claimed to have inspiration, even the NWT preface expressing that it was a 'translation' not inspired. The only writers of the Hebrew and Greek scriptures can be credited with 'God spoke to them' and they recorded it, even though in fact God used angels as his messengers in all but 3 occasions mentioned in the Bible.

I find it interesting that several of you mentioned that Jesus told the evildoer beside him that he would be 'with Jesus, that very day, in paradise'.

Jesus, that very day, was to die, and be in 'sheol, hades' or the common grave of mankind, dead. It was not til 3 days that he was resurrected, so Jesus and the evildoer alike were to die, Jesus to be resurrected three days later, the evildoer much later when the new system was in fact set up by God with Jesus the Judge, and it truly can be said that anyone then resurrected to life would 'be with Jesus' even though Jesus as the King would not have to be a human back on this restored earth. Hardly paradise for either of them that day though.

Does that make sense?

Cheers, hope you got it clear that I was not suggesting anyone in the Society can claim to be inspired, and in fact never did directly, though the inference was strong that 'God directed them'. The truth of the matter is that God directed only in the sense that his written Word was studied and understood in varying ways........none of mankind can stand up and claim to be personally 'directed by god' in any religion, not Mahommed, Ellen G White, William Miller, CT Russell, JR Rutherford, Joseph Smith, suicide bombers, etc etc.

However, I can understand why Jesus was the only one who could rightfully claim such.

gdt.

101

Hard to get over: No New System

by confusedjw in

i have to tell you something.. i really find it hard getting over the idea of no new system and all that it meant to me.

to be with my children and their children forever in perfect health.. too many days it just leaves me empty.

i just wish i could shake it and enjoy life, but the idea that we just live for 70 years and die kills me.

gdt

Good morning everyone (Aussie time). It was very pleasurable to read your responses to my note yesterday and to feel the respect for the creator from most everyone. One of you mentioned that God hasn't advised you personally as to what he is going to do, and it is then a matter of faith in the men who said that they did get revelations from God.

I have just read a recent analysis of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and their verification of the Hebrew scriptures, all supportive of believing that the creator did provide his word and instructions for living and hopes and promises, some yet to be fulfilled.

Again, thank you for the thoughts.

geoff. gdt.