Posts by behemot

the wts commences the seventy years of the babylonian exile when people from the city of mizpah left for egypt, following the murder of governor gedaliah.

the wts claims that the seventy years could not commence until judah was without a living soul or domestic animal, and that this departure for egypt marked that moment.

their position, however, is not supported by scripture or archaeology.. .

behemot

The book is out of print according to Amazon.

A few reviews are available here: http://www.encyclopedia.com/doc/1P3-27412357.html (accessed through a free trial membership) and here: http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_go2081/is_1_120/ai_n28780154/

You can search the libraries where the book is available using www.worldcat.org

The same author deals with the topic of the "empty land myth" in his collection of essays History and the Hebrew Bible. Studies in Ancient Israelite and Ancient Near Eastern Historiography (Eisenbrauns 2008), Chapter 6.

Hope this helps.

Behemot

17

The land of Judah still had people on it during the Babylonian Exile

by Doug Mason in

the wts commences the seventy years of the babylonian exile when people from the city of mizpah left for egypt, following the murder of governor gedaliah.

the wts claims that the seventy years could not commence until judah was without a living soul or domestic animal, and that this departure for egypt marked that moment.

their position, however, is not supported by scripture or archaeology.. .

behemot

A good book discussing this issue is: Hans M. BARSTAD, The Myth of the Empty Land: A Study in the History and Archaeology of Judah during the “Exilic” Period, Symbolae Osloenses, fasc. suppl., 28, Oslo, Scandinavian University Press 1996.

Behemot

2

Russian JW branch writes to President Medvedev

by behemot in

jw
friends

http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=16860&size=a.

moscow (asianews/agencies) the leader of russian jehovahs witnesses has appealed to russian president dmitry medvedev to protect his community from a campaign of persecution.

kalin, chairman of the steering committee of the administrative centre of jehovah's witnesses in russia (acjwr), wrote to the kremlin leader, complaining about arbitrary trials against members of his community (see asianews, 17/09/2009, court in rostov bans jehovahs witnesses for being religious extremists, in asianews, 17 september 2009, and altai court condemns jehovahs witnesses for extremism, in asianews, 5 october 2009).. in his letter, the acjwr chairman noted that his community has been in russia for more than a century, and that only under soviet rule did it suffer discrimination and persecution.

behemot

http://www.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=16860&size=A

Moscow (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The leader of Russian Jehovah’s Witnesses has appealed to Russian President Dmitry Medvedev to protect his community from a campaign of persecution. V.M. Kalin, chairman of the steering committee of the ‘Administrative Centre of Jehovah's Witnesses in Russia’ (ACJWR), wrote to the Kremlin leader, complaining about “arbitrary” trials against members of his community (see AsiaNews, 17/09/2009, “ Court in Rostov bans Jehovah’s Witnesses for being religious extremists,” in AsiaNews, 17 September 2009, and “Altai court condemns Jehovah’s Witnesses for “extremism,” in AsiaNews, 5 October 2009).

In his letter, the ACJWR chairman noted that his community has been in Russia for more than a century, and that only under Soviet rule did it suffer discrimination and persecution. Now, it is subjected to a process of “demonisation" by some courts with the support of the press.

For Kalin, Medvedev’s article “Russia, Forward”, which appeared in Gazeta.ru, on 10 September of this year, is a source of hope because it refers to the ideals of the separation of state and religion and peaceful coexistence.

Russia’s president, the letter explains, should realise that Jehovah’s Witnesses are present in 236 countries around the world, but that only in 25 is “their freedom of conscience” restricted, nations “famous for the crudest violations of human rights.”

All the community wants is for Medvedev to “guarantee their constitutional rights” and protect them from “bureaucratic arbitrariness”.

Ultimately, “basic rights, for which Jehovah's Witnesses are fighting today, are vitally necessary for the maintenance in Russia of democratic liberties and the construction of civil society”.

4

Mass animal sacrifice in Nepal

by behemot in

indias animal rights activist and politician maneka gandhis protest and nepals budhha boy ram bahadur bomjans appeal wont be able to prevent the sacrifice of nearly half-a-million animals at this months gadhimai mela in this himalayan nation.. .

billed as the worlds largest animal sacrifice fair, the event held every five years at bariyapur in bara district of southern nepal is expected to attract about five million hindus from across the country and neighbouring india.. but despite protest from several quarters, the nepal government has refused to intervene in the religious custom meant to appease goddess gadhimai.

instead, it has decided to provide adequate facilities for the two-day ritual beginning november 24.. on sunday, home minister bhim rawal assured the development committee of parliament that 1,150 additional security personnel would be deployed in the mela area for security of the pilgrims.. security could be a cause of concern as a large gathering would congregate at the fair and there is difference of opinion among the local populace as well on whether the custom should continue, said chairman of the committee jitendra sonar, who had visited bariyapur recently.. according to estimates, nearly 500,000 animals, including buffaloes, goats, ducks, roosters and pigeons, would be sacrificed at the fair to appease the goddess.

behemot

India’s animal rights activist and politician Maneka Gandhi’s protest and Nepal’s ‘Budhha Boy’ Ram Bahadur Bomjan’s appeal won’t be able to prevent the sacrifice of nearly half-a-million animals at this month’s Gadhimai Mela in this Himalayan nation.

Billed as the world’s largest animal sacrifice fair, the event — held every five years at Bariyapur in Bara district of southern Nepal — is expected to attract about five million Hindus from across the country and neighbouring India.

But despite protest from several quarters, the Nepal government has refused to intervene in the religious custom meant to appease Goddess Gadhimai. Instead, it has decided to provide adequate facilities for the two-day ritual beginning November 24.

On Sunday, Home Minister Bhim Rawal assured the development committee of parliament that 1,150 additional security personnel would be deployed in the mela area for security of the pilgrims.

“Security could be a cause of concern as a large gathering would congregate at the fair and there is difference of opinion among the local populace as well on whether the custom should continue,” said chairman of the committee Jitendra Sonar, who had visited Bariyapur recently.

According to estimates, nearly 500,000 animals, including buffaloes, goats, ducks, roosters and pigeons, would be sacrificed at the fair to appease the goddess. Some say the number has increased because of several Indian states banning animal sacrifice for religious purposes.

“Since many devotees come from India, we have asked the administration in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh, states that border Nepal, to stop smuggling of animals and birds for the fair,” said D.B. Bomjan of Tamang Rashtriya Mukti Morcha, an NGO.

Last month Maneka Gandhi had written to Nepal’s Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal seeking government intervention to stop the mass sacrifice.

source: http://www.hindustantimes.com/Nepal-set-to-host-animal-sacrifice-fair/H1-Article1-474675.aspx

30

How Can an Elder Fade Successfully?

by tjlibre in

jw
friends

im working on my exit strategy out of the watchtower org.

ive set my mind to be out by the end of 2010 or mid 2011. .

id like to avoid getting df and disassociating my self is also an undesirable option.

behemot

I was an elder myself (PO at the time). My first step was to resign as an elder, claiming stress, depression etc.

I kept attending meetings for a few months afterwards, then I invited two elders in my home and informed them I was discontinuing my meeting attendance for the time being, that my decision was due to personal reasons that I did not intend to disclose to anybody and that I would appreciate if they just respected my decision without inquiring any further.

It worked out well for me, I successfully faded and, with the exception of the "friendly" occasional visit or phone call, they leave me alone.

Wish you all the best,

Behe