In Australia voteing is compulsary but if you have a valid reason not to vote for religious grounds its just a matter of writing a letter to the authorities and a penalty for not voteing can be waived.
Posts by barry
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8IT is not true that members of the Jehovah's Witnesses do not vote.
by fokyc injehovah's witnesses do vote in ghana .
http://www.modernghana.com:80/newsp/189459/1/pagenum1/jehovahs-witnesses-do-vote-in-ghana.html.
they do, nathaniel gbedemah, of the public affairs department at the group's headquarters in accra.
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343
Defence of watchtower society Links
by reniaa ini thought long and hard before making this thread, that many will not agree with it but i think there needs to be balance and people to realise there are alternate viewpoints out there on many of these subjects, the ones that are most spoke about on this forum.
i was recently sent a full message containing mary's book and these links give the rebuttal to many of her points.
those that are still open-minded enough feel free to look over them even if in the end you still don't agree at least you have heard both the defence as well as the attack as they are on the internet.
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barry
Reniaa, I would like to make a few comments.
The child abuse issue is an issue all churches have had to deal with no exception. I beleive the problem with the WT cult is they have protected child abusers in their zeal to protect their religion.
In the issue of the cross the WT beleives it is so important it is one of the points of doctrine right in the baptisimal statement. I cant think of any church that is so petty.
With the issue of smoking other churches have sdvised their members of the dangers of this habit decades before the WT
The catholic church has held the primary doctrins of the christian faith for the last 2000 years but the doctrine of salvation arose at the reformation. Martin luther said the doctrine of salvation was the doctrine all other doctrine should be judged on.
You see Confession is not necessary, praying for the dead is not necessary, Pergatory is not necessary, Extreme unction is not necessary because of the protestant doctrine of salvation. Protestants beleive the christian is declaired right with God but the Catholic beleives he has to be made right.
In other words the Catholic has to reach perfection.
So the issue is not the cross or the triune God but the doctrine of salvation that the roman church rejected.
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Disfellowshiped Last Night - Elder Question
by johnnyc ini know some of you know me by my posts...as someone very much on the "fence".
recently, i had made an effort to start coming back to meetings after being inactive for 2+ years.
during that time, i did have a prescription drug problem following an injury.
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barry
The way to get respect from these elders is to join another church because only then will there power be broken.
The reason I say this is I know of an incident where a JW couple separated and the elders supported the wife. The elders came down hard on the husband so the husband left and joined the SDA church. When the elders found out about this they went to meet with the husband and their attitude was changed completly. You see they no longer had power over him and they knew it.
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Daniel's 69 and 70 week prophecy
by digderidoo ini have been told by a jw that 36ce ends daniels 70 week prophecy, how do they work this out?.
i know the starting point is 455bce, but could someone elaborate?
the guy has stated it as matter of fact, it sort of smells like the 1914 prophecy to me, but may be i'm wrong.. paul.
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barry
Its somewhat different than the 1914 one as the 70 weeks prophecy isnt dependant on the day for a year principle. Bible commentries state this. The 70 weeks is the final biblical prophecy. Some people beleive the last week in this prophecy isnt fulfilled until the end of time.
The day year principle shouldnt be used in the 1914 prophecy because the word day isnt in the verse at all. The day year is not used consistently in every case in predictive prophecy.
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Aussies Melbourne Cup I'm going to bet on some horses first time! My tip!!
by Witness 007 ini have used my "bible research skills" for a new purpose....to find the winner of the melbourne cup horse race on the 4th of nov our public holiday for horse racing!
i have never gambled but me and the wife are going to the race and laying down a bet.
my research and tips from experts has lead me to this conclusion:.
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barry
thanks for the tip 007 I have no idea who to bet on at this time so Im trusting youre judgement. It also a holiday here in canberra for the melbourne cup event. Goes to show us aussies take horse racing seriously.
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jesus denies being God! scriptural discussion.
by reniaa ini thought after recently reading the bible i would put up for disussion some recent scriptures up which for me show that jesus never viewed himself as god and anyone listening would also see it this way too.. first mark 10 :17-20.
17as jesus started on his way, a man ran up to him and fell on his knees before him.
"good teacher," he asked, "what must i do to inherit eternal life?
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barry
Arianism is a beleif from the 4th century by a priest of Alexandria named Arius who first made the claim that Jesus was a created being. So Arianism in the history of the christian church is a Johnny come lately.
The Adventists in the 19th century also were for the most part Arian. The new church being made up of members from the christian connection. The Adventists smartened up their beleifs about 1900 and accepted the trinity doctrine with some members being left behind and still holding to Arianism.
As a result the beleif that Jesus is Michael the Archangel was retained but Adventists understand it is a title as God is head of the anglels.
Renaii there is nothing original about the WT beleifs.
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407
Is it the JW's or the God of the bible you no longer believe?
by reniaa ini have a question for the ex-jw's on this forum after months of reading the forum..... many say how good it is to be free of the oppressiveness of the jw's that they can now enjoy the freedom to... have sex, celebrate christmas, gamble, embrace politics etc.
there are still biblical scriptures and principles in place that if you still followed the bible would mean you avoid these things and yet these are now embraced as one of the perks of no longer being a jw so in my confusion i ask.... if these are what you want, isn't it more correct to say you no longer follow the bible as apposed to just the jw's?.
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barry
You have said that there are many versions of the trinity doctrine. In fact the trinity doctrine was formulated 1600 years ago and has not changed. You may be confusing it with Modalism ,Monackism Arianism or something else. Also what does the cross have to do with the trinity doctrine. Teh mormons dont beleive the trinity doctrine but they beleive christ died on the cross. I dont get youre connection with this.
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407
Is it the JW's or the God of the bible you no longer believe?
by reniaa ini have a question for the ex-jw's on this forum after months of reading the forum..... many say how good it is to be free of the oppressiveness of the jw's that they can now enjoy the freedom to... have sex, celebrate christmas, gamble, embrace politics etc.
there are still biblical scriptures and principles in place that if you still followed the bible would mean you avoid these things and yet these are now embraced as one of the perks of no longer being a jw so in my confusion i ask.... if these are what you want, isn't it more correct to say you no longer follow the bible as apposed to just the jw's?.
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barry
Dear Renaii,
Im confused by some of the things you have said.
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407
Is it the JW's or the God of the bible you no longer believe?
by reniaa ini have a question for the ex-jw's on this forum after months of reading the forum..... many say how good it is to be free of the oppressiveness of the jw's that they can now enjoy the freedom to... have sex, celebrate christmas, gamble, embrace politics etc.
there are still biblical scriptures and principles in place that if you still followed the bible would mean you avoid these things and yet these are now embraced as one of the perks of no longer being a jw so in my confusion i ask.... if these are what you want, isn't it more correct to say you no longer follow the bible as apposed to just the jw's?.
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barry
In many catholic countries the birth of John the baptist is celebrated 6months before xmas on about the 25th of June and after. Remember that John was 6 months older than Jesus. In the Philippines around that time you are likely to get a bucket of water thrown over you and celebrations are held for at least a week in each village. A Hermana is chosen to run the celebrations and is in charge of events culminating in feeding the poor that live outside the village.
Barry
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407
Is it the JW's or the God of the bible you no longer believe?
by reniaa ini have a question for the ex-jw's on this forum after months of reading the forum..... many say how good it is to be free of the oppressiveness of the jw's that they can now enjoy the freedom to... have sex, celebrate christmas, gamble, embrace politics etc.
there are still biblical scriptures and principles in place that if you still followed the bible would mean you avoid these things and yet these are now embraced as one of the perks of no longer being a jw so in my confusion i ask.... if these are what you want, isn't it more correct to say you no longer follow the bible as apposed to just the jw's?.
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barry
May I also mantion the new testamant isnt a book of rules. I dont find in its pages rules on how to baptise. Early christians actually dunked beleivers three times in th ename of the Father Son and Holy Spirit. There is no instructions on not celebrating birthdays either.
In fact the new testament is largly a book of stories and letters from the early church. It is a reaction away from the very legalistic jewish religion.