Pole

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Posts by Pole

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  27

  WT Sep 1 tribute to JWD and Silent Lambs

  by ezekiel3 in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  fresh from the sep 1, 2004 watchtower ?beware of the voice of strangers?.

  typed as published although highlights are mine.

  (the pictures are from the same with comments added.).

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  Pole

  XQsThaiPoes,

  They should have never had printed this article because it does not make any real arguments.

  How many Watchtower articles should never have been printed because they make no real arguments?

  They generally avoid making real arguments about tricky issues. They rely heavily on lack of information if only possible. Outside English speaking countries little is known about the criticism made about the child-molestation policy or UN engagement.

  So imagine they try to address some of these issues specifically in the Watchtower which is translated into XXX laguages and distributed to millions of non-Witnesses monthly. This would actually give those in the dark a chance to hear about their problems for the very first time.

  Infact it may get some JWs to look up the hypothetical reports mentioned.

  It won't. It's too general, diluted and it puts one off doing further research. It's actually little piece of art in terms of evasion and manipulative information. For the average witness of course who has always depended on WTS sources primarily.

  Notice how they get specific about the accusations that "the Witnesses supported Hitler?s regime during World War II". They give the readers a glimpse of what they expect, suggesting that those accusations are absurd and tell them to avoid it anyway.

  I would say something opposite - if the article had been written in the way you suggested (real arguments, etc,) - it would certainly have made some witnesses look up further information.

  Pole
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  26

  Would you have accepted THIS response from the Watchtower. Re: U.N

  by integ in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  dear brothers,

  it has been brought to our attention that certain brothers have had questions regarding the societies' membership as a non governmental organization with the united nations from 1991-2001. rest assured that we are no longer members, having removed ourselves from this organization over 3 years ago.

  it was only in our undaunted zeal to proclaim the good news to "all nations" (as was jesus' admonition), in these critical last days, that the faithful slave class approved membership as an ngo.

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  Pole

  1) I knew this could not be real as I was reading it because the letter was actually admitting a mistake on the part of the 'Fathful and Discrete Slave'. There is no way, no how that they would EVER do that. Never.

  And it's kind of too straightforward. It lacks evasive language - you've got to work on the style a little to match the WTS - the masters of spin and evasion.

  I liked the idea of posting it here, anyway.

  Pole
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  8

  Did Christ and the Jews commonly speak Aramaic, Hebrew, or Greek?

  by Daniel Michaels in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  did christ and the jews commonly speak aramaic, hebrew, or greek?

  greetings group

  ever since the movie on the passion of christ, i have been interested in why it is that the majority of scholars have thought that aramaic was the language that jesus mostly spoke and taught in.

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  Pole

  Satanus,

  Well explained. One wonders, if aramaic was the most popular language of the street, why was lower class greek used to write the nt? Was it a case of one language being used as a spoken one, and another for literature?

  Leolaila has already made some remarks, but the simple answer is this: Greek and Latin served as the lingua franca of the Mediterranean world at that time. The writers of the NT had to reach christians of pagan origin as well as Jews. Aramaic may have been "the language of the street" as you put it, but only so for Jewish Christians. As a Semitic language it was totally exotic for many Christains of Pagan origin. So it was a matter of finding a common denominator.

  Which kind of leaves us with a very interesting question:

  How dependable is the NT especially when it comes to prophetic details (take the Apocalypse for instance) given the fact that its authors weren't even native speakers of Greek?

  Also, how popular was greek in the roman domains, and when did it phase out? Did latin replace it?

  I'm not sure about the exact dates, but as far as I can remeber from my historical linguistics classes, Latin, or "deteriorated Latin" by that time, replaced Greek for good with the massive influx of barbarians into the Roman empire, especially those of Romanic origin.

  Later it was the lingua franca of the Middle Ages, for Romanic, Germanic and Slavic peoples of Europe.

  Pole
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  12

  Cucumbers and Watermelons....

  by Undaunted Danny in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  cucumbers and watermelons.

  i just love cukes and melons.

  because they have that earthly smell,like the dirt.

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  Pole

  Danny i do think they are afraid of you that you may expose them for what they are and have done. I cannot think why else they have not tried to sue you and others like you for slander etc. They have the attorneys to do it , so why do you think they are afraid to stop you and others?

  That would mean too much public attention on the "tricky issues".

  Their lawyers (if they're good) are too much of spin doctors to do anything that risky.

  Pole
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  30

  WTS hypocrisy? What exactly do you mean?

  by Pole in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  from what i've noticed so far, an awful lot of posts on this board deal with watchtower hypocrisy which has been manifest both in their doctrines and in their double-dealing with many issues.. a few all-time classics would include:.

  1) secret association with the un.

  2) 1975 / generation 1914 doctrine changes.

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  Pole

  Andy,

  They protect the pedophile and disfellowship the ones that protect the children.
  If this isn't hyprocrisy I don't know what is.
  Maybe I did come on too strong, but with a group of "people" like them I sometimes really
  get emotional.
  I never knew what hate was until I found out how the Watchtower really works.
  Jehovah and His Governing Body can go to hell together.
  edit that.

  Got it.

  I just wasn't sure about the way you used my little (be it poor quality) joke about "the standard textbook for apostates". You didn't even bother to include the emoticon in the quote you "cynical manipulator" :).

  Otherwise, I pretty much agree with your conclusions. I just think it was still worth bringing this issue up to get posts such as those made by Lady Lee, Farkel and others on this thread.

  Peace be with you...

  Pole
• 
  12

  Cucumbers and Watermelons....

  by Undaunted Danny in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  cucumbers and watermelons.

  i just love cukes and melons.

  because they have that earthly smell,like the dirt.

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  Pole

  Nice graphics Danny :)
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  30

  WTS hypocrisy? What exactly do you mean?

  by Pole in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  from what i've noticed so far, an awful lot of posts on this board deal with watchtower hypocrisy which has been manifest both in their doctrines and in their double-dealing with many issues.. a few all-time classics would include:.

  1) secret association with the un.

  2) 1975 / generation 1914 doctrine changes.

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  Pole

  Thanks Farkel - that's exactly what I needed. This particular example woud make them fall under C on my tiny little silly continuum of hypocrisy...
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  6

  My GB Conversation

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  for reasons of anonymity, i will not post any names or dates here.

  however, many years ago i did casually.

  express some doubts to a member of the gb - and have wondered about the answer ever since.. .

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  Pole

  Any how, I casually wondered out loud how it was possible for the Bible's assurances to have any meaning when some Witnesses may have died from lack of food.

  There are lies and empty promises that you can get away with 95% of the time. This is one of them.

  95% witnesses (or whatever the figure may be) don't starve, and so they may attribute this fact to "Jehovah's blessing".

  This may make them feel more secure as Jehovah's chosen ones. And the other 5% are either hardly noticeable or easy to deal with (branch office help, support of the more affluent part of the congregation....).

  So it all fits in the general picture of Jehovah's support for his servants.

  ----------------

  It reminds me of one Nigerian JW who told me how greatful he was to Jehovah and how he thanked him everyday for letting him breathe (!)

  He didn't have any respiratory problems at that time, so it worked for him :))

  Pole
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  30

  WTS hypocrisy? What exactly do you mean?

  by Pole in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  from what i've noticed so far, an awful lot of posts on this board deal with watchtower hypocrisy which has been manifest both in their doctrines and in their double-dealing with many issues.. a few all-time classics would include:.

  1) secret association with the un.

  2) 1975 / generation 1914 doctrine changes.

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  Pole

  I know it's the standard textbook for "apostates"

  That's the biggest bull I heard. There is no standard textbook. COC had no effect on me whatsoever!
  And as for "apostates" The biggest apostates call me an apostate.
  The Governing Body is the apostate.

  Biggest (__|__) s who walk the earth. ******************************************

  Andy

  Boy, Andy - you're getting carried away easily.... Granted, this joke about "standard apostate textbook" may not have been the best I've ever made, but I'm surprised how emotional you got.

  Here is a piece of advice for you:

  Next time you see a thread started by me, think twice before reading it. You may get a heart attack or something.

  Cheers,

  Pole
• 
  30

  WTS hypocrisy? What exactly do you mean?

  by Pole in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  from what i've noticed so far, an awful lot of posts on this board deal with watchtower hypocrisy which has been manifest both in their doctrines and in their double-dealing with many issues.. a few all-time classics would include:.

  1) secret association with the un.

  2) 1975 / generation 1914 doctrine changes.

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  Pole

  LL,

  Yeah, yeah, I can hear you. I know it's the standard textbook for "apostates".

  I'm getting a copy already...

  Cheers,

  Pole