Midget-Sasquatch

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Posts by Midget-Sasquatch

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  83

  World War 1 and 1914

  by Schizm in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  .

  how did it just so happen that a world war took place in the very year that russell had attached so much importance to?

  i realize that he expected 1914 to see the end of the world's governments, and of course that didn't happen, but it still seems to be quite remarkable that this war happened that very year ... a war that would later be construed to be the fulfillment of jesus' prediction in matthew 24:7.. the explanation given on the e-watchman site is that satan deliberately caused the war to happen so as to mislead jehovah's witnesses into thinking they had actually seen the fulfillment of bible prophecy, in order to make them think that jesus had returned invisably.. any ideas?.

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  Midget-Sasquatch

  Neo's argument is what you should seriously consider. It shows you a logical link between turbulent historical times and a flurry of end-time predictions. So one could expect there to be a close range of predicted dates focussing on those very times. That drastically cuts down the possible dates to use if something were to happen.So by a simple and logical prosaic mechanism, you've made a hit much more likely. Its not that hard to attribute it to chance then.

  Now if you're looking for a prosaic explanation that would be so specific as to pinpoint "1914", then I don't have one. But there's all their number juggling with 0 and 607 that strongly suggests it was all just chance, but they wanted to believe it was a real hit.
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  83

  World War 1 and 1914

  by Schizm in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  .

  how did it just so happen that a world war took place in the very year that russell had attached so much importance to?

  i realize that he expected 1914 to see the end of the world's governments, and of course that didn't happen, but it still seems to be quite remarkable that this war happened that very year ... a war that would later be construed to be the fulfillment of jesus' prediction in matthew 24:7.. the explanation given on the e-watchman site is that satan deliberately caused the war to happen so as to mislead jehovah's witnesses into thinking they had actually seen the fulfillment of bible prophecy, in order to make them think that jesus had returned invisably.. any ideas?.

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  Midget-Sasquatch

  Well Schizm, if you check Russell's earliest literature he was saying that the fall of Jerusalem was 606 BCE not 607...that should have brought them to 1915...but they made the mistake of counting a zero year...so they were saying 1914...When WW1 occurred and ended with no big A, they changed their eschatology. They also changed the date to 607 when they realized the mistake of counting a zero year. Later on in the Revelation - Its Grand Climax book the Org said the mistake was by Divine providence.

  They made all sorts of "refinements" in their view starting from the first failed expectation of being raptured up to heaven in IIRC 1881. (Someone please correct me here if I botched that date up). I don't think there's anything real behind this touted "hit".
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  48

  So is there a new stance on B-days or what? Someone please explain........

  by WingCommander in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have heard rumors on here and other places that jw's are now allowing birthdays to be observed/celebrated.

  is this true?

  i hope so.

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  Midget-Sasquatch

  Whenever the WTS tries to be (IMHO feigns to be) undogmatic in their publications, its just a tactic to counter the criticisms they receive. Be it a court, or a government agency, whatever.....one can point to the ambiguous writings in the literature and argue that the WTS isn't such a controlling/oppressive cult etc....Meanwhile, all the unwritten content, and the social controls still stand and go by whatever the current view is...which as far as I know is still viewed as a no-no...I wouldn't be surprised though if a dub parent who's in a tough custody battle would be overlooked by an elder body and not reproved if she gave her children birthday parties that year.
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  22

  Our Family is devasted.

  by morty in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  i am going to post some links.

  if they donnot work when "clicking" on, could someone please change it for me?

  i would like to make it easy for people to read.thank for your help.. http://www.canoe.ca/newsstand/londonfreepress/news/2004/10/29/691074.html.

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  Midget-Sasquatch

  I'm very sorry to hear about this Morty. It can really wreck a child's trust of others. Even if it doesn't turn out to be as ugly as many may suspect this to be, I nonetheless hope the schoolboard will provide the appropriate counselling. The children can be explained things in a way that will help them protect themselves in the future.
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  23

  Simon and others: Inspiring Words and this Forum.

  by Blueblades in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  these inspiring words will remind you how to make your dreams come true.. "through confidence and perseverance comes the ability to succeed!".

  many of you have proven that these words have inspired you to succeed in whatever endeavors you have chosen after having come out of the watchtower.. i have read simon's and many of your post's, where - in you have shown confidence, and perseverance along with the ability to succeed in whatever endeavors you have chosen for yourselves after having come out of the watchtower.

  i too, after having spent 30 years serving the watchtower, two and one half years later, after having left he watchtower, i have succeeded in passing my medical examiner's tests and am now licensed to practice in one of the many health care concerns at the young age of 60.. this shows that all of us can go on and succeed after life in the watchtower.. this forum and the many nameless persons who have posted here have been an inspiration to carry on.

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  Midget-Sasquatch

  Congratulations Dr. BB!

  At 60!?!?! You have seriously motivated me to relook at a dream I had given up on.

  While I don't believe I have the grey matter for a PhD, I can try for a different undergrad at least.
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  12

  Ozzie's Weekend Poll #118

  by ozziepost in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  so the countdown continures to the election and it'll soon be over.

  "thank goodness" some might say, eh??.

  anyway, on a more personal level, how's the week been for you?

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  Midget-Sasquatch

  If it was fresh territory then I was stuck (being an MS I had to be an example) doing more numbers around the block till the others were done. If it was just not at homes, then I could just go back to the car for a bit before having to go out and try street witnessing...
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  15

  New apostate scare?

  by Snowcrash in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i'm curious if anyone else who still attends meetings keeps hearing the same drek about apostates at every meeting?

  i have been, and it gets to me a little, seeing as i feel like a snake in the grass.

  has anyone else noticed this insane amount of focus on apostates?

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  Midget-Sasquatch

  Well I only periodically show up to Sunday meetings (when I visit family or vice versa), and each and every time there's something about apostates and their devious reasonings. I don't think there's been a real significant increase in demonizing apostates ...either that or other congregations have finally reached the level of paranoia I've encountered in all the congregations I've gone to..
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  8

  SETI for Dummies

  by Nosferatu in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  after i left the jws, i was considering finding a new religion.

  the one that appealed to me most was seti.

  however, i've only started reading up on it recently.. .

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  Midget-Sasquatch

  This is why I could see them referring to the star of Bethlehem as, well, a star. There was no movies or books on flying saucers back then, let alone any kind of motor vehicles, aeroplanes, or electricity. How else are they to describe it?

  As to how they'd describe it, I'm with you. IIRC even Betty and Barney Hill (first publicized case of alien abduction) said that a star appeared to be following them...which then turned out to be the alien craft they were (allegedly) taken into. Jesus being an ET is plausible I guess. Definitely more interesting than the idea that Ezekiel's vision of the flying creatures with the wheels within wheels was a UFO & ET encounter. But so many mythic elements were lifted and incorporated into the story of Jesus, that it makes one wonder how much or how little truth is actually behind it?
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  14

  Study puts civilian toll in Iraq at over 100,000

  by Simon in

  1. social
  2. current

  tragic.

  remember the neo-con jokes such as "shock and awe" and "precision bombing"?

  how about the rediculous notion that you only need a couple of hundred thousand troops to control an invaded country?

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  Midget-Sasquatch

  I keep on letting myself forget about the many thousands of innocents who are killed across the globe in all sorts of conflicts. Probably just to stop depression from my inability to change any of that.

  US soldiers are being shielded by the strategy of bombing at a distance. But I think its also shielding them psychologically...detaching them to some extent from the human destruction the weaponry causes...with these "remote" engagements it can appear less gorey than it is (yes so many were probably killed in that sortee etc.)...grief and revulsion can only set in when you directly experience the horror of it all (like that US soldier that cried about the Iraqi baby girl) ...I'm hoping we're not progressing towards more "sanitized" wars.
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  10

  Congregations as Charities?

  by Nosferatu in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  http://canadagazette.gc.ca/parti/1999/19991127/html/commis-e.html

  i found this thing, not quite sure what it means, but the following are listed as charities:.

  valleyview congregation of jehovah's witnesses, port alberni british columbia, port alberni, b.c.. parkside congregation of jehovah's witnesses, chatham, ont.. hamilton-dundas congregation of .

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  Midget-Sasquatch

  Damn Scully you are awesome with your searching!

  The congregation I went to had to spend 80% of what it took in as contributions, and Revenue Canada would send a statement whether or not the disbursement quota was met for the past tax year.

  Shame that they wouldn't revoke the charitable status right away if they failed to spend enough...it would have to happen a few times in a row...and if they should spend in excess of the disbursement quota one year (ooh additions/renovations anyone?) they could carry that amount over to cover any shortfalls. Isn't it wonderful how the Canadian taxpayer gets to subsidize all that?