Posts by Sarah Smiles

16

What is the scriptural basis for restrictions?

by digderidoo in

ok heres the scenario.. mom is still a jw.

her best friend and also neighbour (jw-elders wife) has a daughter who is "courting" (unofficially) someone who has just come back into the "truth", he has gone through his usual judicial process and repented from his wicked ways and has been publicly reproved.. now what puzzles me about this?.

he is on restrictions as he is not classed as being in "good standing" within the congregation.

Sarah Smiles

Thanks AlanV for you scriptural reasoning because I did not really know as to why, I was using 2 Corinthians 2:5-11. Interesting!

16

What is the scriptural basis for restrictions?

by digderidoo in

ok heres the scenario.. mom is still a jw.

her best friend and also neighbour (jw-elders wife) has a daughter who is "courting" (unofficially) someone who has just come back into the "truth", he has gone through his usual judicial process and repented from his wicked ways and has been publicly reproved.. now what puzzles me about this?.

he is on restrictions as he is not classed as being in "good standing" within the congregation.

Sarah Smiles

Bibically there is no scriptural grounds for restrictions place on a person after they have repented! Actually having such a long disfellowshipment should be punishment enough! according to Pauls Teary letter see 2 Corth,.

One needs to know what their restrictions are such as not answering at book study, or going out in service. During my restriction, I was clueless because in the 70s they did not have anything like it and the elder neglected to tell me I could not answer at meetings!

As one elder explained, restrictions is just another step they use to see if a person is serious enough to stay with the congregations. The elders stated that some people come back with worldly thoughts such as partaking! One elder said most people come back and think they should partake, and they do not last. Although at the time, I explained to the elders that I did not care about partaking. One elder said yes I know but some people do! Once again, I had to do research as to why! to see why would most care.

Anyhow, the elders will appoint a pioneer to have weekly bible study and to bring you up to date what is new to the organization. If anyone is going through this it is better to keep it strickly bible study only answer the questions from the book and move on. During my weekly bible study, my pioneer became big headed, almost like she thought she had power over me, and she made it clear that she was at my house only because the elders told her to do so. She also packed up her grandchildren gifts and took vacation time at Christmas! She was also teaching things that Jehovah Witnesses did not believe. So I told the elder I no longer wanted to study with her and why. They took her side and said she would never say that!

Also it is not a good time to share your new found research although the bible says if one has some doubts to ask. For example, I express to the elder on the phone that I did not think that Jesus was an archangel. After that conversation, the pioneer came to my house with another woman, and at the end of the study they talked about Michael the Arch Angel. I felt like they were trying to trap me in saying that I believe Jesus to be Jehovah! which I did not believe. Later, I found the same quote in a 1960s WT.

Also, the elder broke his promise to me, I guess he was relieving his own guilt claiming to want to help me out! He stated the reason why I was dfd and that was between me and my original elders. He was not an orginal elder and promised that he never need to know. That was it for me!

Trust me, tell your friend to say little as possible to the elders and when going thru the restriction remember that person who is study with him is not his friend but to report back to the elders! I was shocked when the pioneer expressed this at my book study.

I am sharing this so YOUR friend will not have to go through what I did. Tell him to smile and only answer question that are asked.

181

It looks like I will become an elder this week!

by outofthebox in

jw
friends

that's right guys.

as i told you before, they boe have been considering me for the eldership.

which i don't care for, but since my family is stuck in this cult, i guess i can use the new position to help them see that the holy spirit has nothing to do with me being an elder.

Sarah Smiles

Seeks some help, counseling or something! Because your lying will probably get worse with your age!

Look at your future: Lying to your girlfriend or wife, and any future jobs! Which by the way if you get caught lying on any job you will probably get fired! No woman but a drug addict will put up with you!

So what options do you have but to seek help!

181

It looks like I will become an elder this week!

by outofthebox in

jw
friends

that's right guys.

as i told you before, they boe have been considering me for the eldership.

which i don't care for, but since my family is stuck in this cult, i guess i can use the new position to help them see that the holy spirit has nothing to do with me being an elder.

Sarah Smiles

YOU seemed to think that your lying will go unnoticed!

I do not believe you are even attending, so far you have done nothing but lied about who you are, so that makes you untrust worthy.

Your eldership just sounds like your delusional to think that people on this board believes you!

Hope you seek help for you patholigical lying! As far as your family, they already know your lying! so becoming an elder because of your family right there is one of many lies on you list!

If your family knows your lying then so does the elders and the people in the congregation!

Perhaps you should try to become honest!

29

What is wrong with the Memorial date this year?

by Cindi_67 in

the memorial is supposed to be held in nisan 14, jewish calendar.

that day is april 19, 2008. why is the memorial being held this coming saturday march, 22?

does anybody know?

Sarah Smiles

Everything!

Sorry! I had to read Blondies notes it should be on April 27th. I always had a funny feeling the JW were not using the right dates. For one thing they claim it should be on the 14th but in Leviticus is on the 15th.

I can understand their reasoning but Jesus was preparing for the first day of the passover festival and that would have been on Nisan15th. I can see they are taking the 14th as the prepartion day as the first day of celebration. But God commanded that they come together for a prepartion evening to talk about the first day of the festival.

Can anyone tell me if all the Jewish people partake in the room with a mix group of people? Perhaps just some partake?

20

EXTREME Watchtower Articles... any suggestions ?

by AlphaOmega in

i'm looking to put together a collection of scanned watchtower / awake articles and extracts of other watchtower publications to show non-jws (and maybe even some current jws) that highlight the control issues of the society.. .

i am thinking along the lines of the famous 1996 article with the caption "do you wisely destroy apostate material ?

i will obviously upload the collection when it is complete.. .

Sarah Smiles

1960 WT that states,"After all most people who believe that Jesus is Jehovah do not believe Jesus is Michael." Like you only have one choice in the matter!

Maybe, the majority of christian religions believe;

Trinity as well as Jesus is Michael,
Jesus is not Michael and they do not believe in Trinity!
Jehovah is Michael and Jesus
none of the above

343

I hate the Watchtower but I really still hate the Trinity Jesus is NOT God!

by Witness 007 in

some bibles use the term "worship" when refering to jesus...at times people did fall down and bow to him........this doesn't show he was god!

the greek term; proskeyneo, means to prostrate oneself, to bow down and show honour.

now, this was done for jehovah.....and his representatives....jesus israelite kings and priests....but for the honour of jehovah not as creature worship which even angels would refuse.. also i studied the non-biblical early church gospels which really does show a slow decline over 150 years, into the trinity as the watchtower claims...........although i still hate the watchtower society at least i learnt something that wasn't a lie..

Sarah Smiles

As far as looking at the bible to support the evidence, which bible will you choose? Because you will find out that bibles are written to support the doctrines! I like them all!

Also, there is one scripture in the NWT that talks about the deity which I had a hard time with when I found it!

After I became reinstated, and the last bible study I had with witnesses they stated from the WT
1960" that "MOST PEOPLE WHO DO NOT BELIEVE THAT JESUS IS NOT MICHAEL THE ARCH ANGEL, BELIEVE JESUS IS JEHOVAH"

It sure was hard to answer that one! So I said that I do not believe that Jesus is Jehovah or that he is Michael because in Hebrews Jesus was made higher than the angels! And Jehovah refers him as GOD! shall I go on?

I was raised as a Jehovah Witness and will never fully understand how christains can take the entire old testiment and believe that Jehovah is Jesus when in fact he is not! No matter how many time I read the complete bible from beginning to end I will never see that one!

343

I hate the Watchtower but I really still hate the Trinity Jesus is NOT God!

by Witness 007 in

some bibles use the term "worship" when refering to jesus...at times people did fall down and bow to him........this doesn't show he was god!

the greek term; proskeyneo, means to prostrate oneself, to bow down and show honour.

now, this was done for jehovah.....and his representatives....jesus israelite kings and priests....but for the honour of jehovah not as creature worship which even angels would refuse.. also i studied the non-biblical early church gospels which really does show a slow decline over 150 years, into the trinity as the watchtower claims...........although i still hate the watchtower society at least i learnt something that wasn't a lie..

Sarah Smiles

Michael would not be a different subject! The Jehovah's Witness believe that Jesus is NOW Michael in heaven sitting at the right hand of his father! NOt a god but an Angel. Read Hebrew 1:8

Also, in order to understand the Trinity one has to look at which type of Trinity you are referring? Have Fun researching that one out. I like it when they say it is a mystery!

Renee you seem to think I have walked with blinders on! I have study the subject Trinity out for years.

I can only ask you, do you feel that in John 1:1 in the NWT that the WORD is a god? or a God? Because Jesus will be called Mighty God not Mighty god! Did Jehovah ever refer Jesus as God? read Hebrews 1 and let me know what you think! That still a hard one from me.

Do you think Jehovah thinks that Trinity is pagan and therefore anyone who beleive in Trinity is not believing in the TRUE God?

There is the only one thing I can say that I think Trinity believers are God's people as well as non-Trinity people. Because they are still saying Jesus, Jehovah, and the Holy Spirit all from the bible.

Trinity believers have been raised to read the entire OT as God being plural Elohim, so for us who are not Trinity believers we read the Old Testiment and read it as YHWH.

Most of the other Non Trinity Churches I have not been satisified with because of other teachings that are clearly going against the bible.

For example; some do not believe in the virgin birth, others believe that it okay to allow pagan in and worship their gods! Some do not believe in Satan! So there you have it!

32

Intro: disfellowshipped as a teen in 1999

by Moxie in

greetings and warm wishes to everyone out there...

this is my first post here on the site, though i have spent many countless hours as a guest reading and reading your posts and conversations.

they have been a great encouragement to me, who as a young woman was disfellowshipped from the society about nine years ago.

Sarah Smiles

Hello, happy to see you here!

343

I hate the Watchtower but I really still hate the Trinity Jesus is NOT God!

by Witness 007 in

some bibles use the term "worship" when refering to jesus...at times people did fall down and bow to him........this doesn't show he was god!

the greek term; proskeyneo, means to prostrate oneself, to bow down and show honour.

now, this was done for jehovah.....and his representatives....jesus israelite kings and priests....but for the honour of jehovah not as creature worship which even angels would refuse.. also i studied the non-biblical early church gospels which really does show a slow decline over 150 years, into the trinity as the watchtower claims...........although i still hate the watchtower society at least i learnt something that wasn't a lie..

Sarah Smiles

I think the best thing for any young exJehovah's Witness is to go and join a church that has most of what you like; education, schools for children, socialization and ignore the trinity subject all together. Leave that one to God!

Right off you will always be different because we have been brain washed to have rebuttals and fight for what you think is right. So far the Jehovah's Witness comparing Jehovah, Holy Spirit, and Jesus with pagan godheads in the Trinity brochure is wrong. For one thing the three are from the Bible and there is no comparison, and to say other churches believe in Trinity they are worshipping a false godhead is wrong!

It is brain washing and there really is not much any of us can do but to join another chuch and ignore the Trinity as a subject. God is more than that one subject!

So what are you going to do believe Jesus is Michael?