I'll be looking for this one! I want my wife to see it. She's almost ready to "come out"
biblexaminer
JoinedPosts by biblexaminer
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Dateline Information
by silentlambs ini wish to post this for all to see:.
if you have information pertaining to the child molestation issue and the dateline story please send it to [email protected] i am in contact with the sources who are working on the story and and get information to the right source quickly.
if you just email dateline it may get lost or take a long time to get to the right person.
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What's going on?
by biblexaminer ini finally found the words to describe what's happening with the jws all around me.
it's the difference between faith, and superstitious attachment.
the dictionary describes faith as found below.
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biblexaminer
I finally found the words to describe what's happening with the JWs all around me. It's the difference between faith, and superstitious attachment.
The dictionary describes faith as found below. After which is found the definition of superstition. Go over them first, and then refer back to them as you read my notes posted below them.
[BLOCKQUOTE]
faith (f³th) n. 1. Confident belief in the truth, value, or trustworthiness of a person, an idea, or a thing. 2. Belief that does not rest on logical proof or material evidence. 3. Loyalty to a person or thing; allegiance. 4. Often Faith. Theology. The theological virtue defined as secure belief in God and a trusting acceptance of God's will. 5. The body of dogma of a religion. 6. A set of principles or beliefs. --idiom. in faith. Indeed; truly.su·per·sti·tion (s›”p…r-st¹sh“…n) n. 1. An irrational belief that an object, an action, or a circumstance not logically related to a course of events influences its outcome. 2.a. A belief, practice, or rite irrationally maintained by ignorance of the laws of nature or by faith in magic or chance. b. A fearful or abject state of mind resulting from such ignorance or irrationality. c. Idolatry.
[/BLOCKQUOTE]
Jws profess to have faith. And since I am one, albeit on the surface, and associate with them regularly, I am in a good position to make statements of fact, to the effect of setting out the truth in this regard.If one were to look carefully at the definitions above, one would see that at some point, the two definitions cross paths. Yet there is a critical difference between the two, and the rank & file JW fits categorically into the latter.
In both situations, the person has a profoundly held belief, but the main difference seems clearly to be that in the case of superstition, the belief is irrational. The dictionary defines irrational as below.
[BLOCKQUOTE]
ir·ra·tion·al (¹-r²sh“…-n…l) adj. 1.a. Not endowed with reason. b. Affected by loss of usual or normal mental clarity; incoherent, as from shock. c. Marked by a lack of accord with reason or sound judgment.[/BLOCKQUOTE]
So, how to set the record straight.Jws will all talk about reasoning, and they will attempt to hold anyone they talk to this standard. Yet, what happens when the one they talk to knows a little too much for their taste and holds them to their own standard? What happens when you "reason" with them and they begin to see a huge hole in their own theology?
They revert to "we have the truth" and "we have the faithful slave". They SEEK COMFORT in a type of "rabbit's foot" that’s hung around their neck. They begin to rub this "rabbit's foot", their organization "talisman" and to seek comfort in the "irrational" belief that invoking the organization will save them.
Even if they can clearly see that the organization is wrong, the organization is still right, because it's God's organization after all. Circular reasoning it's true. But more interestingly, they don't need "reason" to come to this conclusion.
I remember a conversation I had with one JW I know well. I pointed out the Watchtower's errors in its teaching regarding Pentecost 33CE and what REALLY took place. Once he ran out of arguments and saw that there was no way to refute the truth presented to him, once the WTS's error was made plain, he immediately, and very predictability, reverted to "well we have the faithful slave". Rub, rub.
In another scenario, I inquired about the "generation" teaching from one sister who was going on about the great ORG, and she unequivocally threw in her lot with the WTS's position. Then I asked her to explain it. All I got was a blank stare. She couldn't explain it. Yet she made clear that she wholeheartedly believed it! Irrational?
I reminded her that, a year after the "generation change" came out, brother X gave a public talk on the subject. When he got to the part where he had to explain the "new light", he stumbled, and stumbled. He resembled a man trying to get a rusty nut loose with the wrong tool. This way, then that.
Finally, Brother X reached down below to the bound volume he had brought up there with him. There was a long pause as he fumbled through the book to find it. Then, he read it WORD FOR WORD.
I asked the sister, who attended that same meeting. "Did Brother X understand it?" She acknowledged that he did not. Then I went on to explain that nobody in the hall did either!
Rational? Faith, or SUPERSTITON?
If a JW is cornered, they will almost without exception rub their "rabbit's foot". I imagine them pulling out their Watchtower magazine like a comfort blanket, and staring at it trying to remember the video where they saw the Organizational Bigness with it's tall buildings and printing presses, thus charging up their superstitious batteries.
I hasten to say that the WTS could do away with god entirely and the org would suffice. The great Org. becomes a god in and of itself. I think that if our Lord and Savior and his Father were surgically removed, JWs would still go to the hall, bang the doors, attend the assemblies and do whatever they are told to do,
Take one last look at the final word in the definition of superstition. (above)
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biblexaminer
Prince is already getting the hang of it. Next he will say..
It wasn't my music that caused all this bad sex stuff to happen, YOU just read into my music more than I was saying...
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Blood Stories in Omaha Nebraska Newspaper
by hawkaw ini just thought i would share these stories dealing with a young witness child who has sickle cell amenia with you guys (i think the stories were previously posted on this board and at kent's site).
at the end of each of the stories, you can provide a 1500 character commment that is posted at the newpaper's web site below the story.
i have provided a lot of comments (using the name andrew) on the stories.
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biblexaminer
Hi jschwehm and hello to you hawlker!!
I sure would have liked to have been there when the elders came 'round. What'd they do? Put you on the "rack" and gave you a stretch?? HaHaHa
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Scrape away the dross, and what are you left with?
by biblexaminer inany of us here who were jws know the real position of the wts and that it's not one of benovolance toward any other religious denomnations, governments, etc.. the question is, if you were to take the sum total of the wts's teachings for the last 100 years, and scrape away the fluff, smoke and mirrors, and have in your hand just the boiled down syrup, what would it look like?.
and, if you were to take this "syrup" and smear it where everybody could get a taste, would they be "appreciative" of the "fine provisions" from the "channel of god"???.
and, if the circuit overseer knew that the publishers in "the pews" were getting a taste of this yummy "syrup" from others who had already enjoyed the priviledge of assimilating some residue from the boiled down wts teachings "syrup", what would he do?.
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biblexaminer
Any of us here who were JWs know the real position of the WTS and that it's not one of benovolance toward any other religious denomnations, governments, etc.
The question is, if you were to take the sum total of the WTS's teachings for the last 100 years, and scrape away the fluff, smoke and mirrors, and have in your hand just the boiled down syrup, what would it look like?
And, if you were to take this "syrup" and smear it where everybody could get a taste, would they be "appreciative" of the "fine provisions" from the "channel of God"???
And, if the Circuit Overseer knew that the publishers in "the pews" were getting a taste of this yummy "syrup" from others who had already enjoyed the priviledge of assimilating some residue from the boiled down WTS teachings "syrup", what would he do?
And, after the CO did his darndest to deal with this syrup, and rather unsuccessfully so, what would he do to compensate for the paranoia he induced in his mis-directed efforts to keep this "plague" from spreading.
And, how far would the Watchtower run with their precious "district convention" in their misguided effort to quell the uproar generated by those who had sipped the nasty "syrup" of boiled down sewage generated by the Watchtower Fable and Crap Society for a century?
And last but not least, how hard would the "syrup" farmer laugh, how intense would his belly laugh be, how many tears of joy would he shed as he was bent double from laughter, as he meditated on the succesfull tapping and boiling?
Can you answer?
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You have to join to know 4 sure!
by biblexaminer inis the watchtower society a cult?.
as the title says, you have to join to know 4 sure!.
but, suffice it to say that the living experience of ones like myself, who are right now embroiled in the jw way of life, is a good place to start to understand -if you rather not find out the hard way.. ten years ago, the wts wasn't what one finds it to be today.
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biblexaminer
Is the Watchtower Society a CULT?
As the title says, You have to join to know 4 sure!
But, suffice it to say that the living experience of ones like myself, who are right now embroiled in the JW way of life, is a good place to start to understand -if you rather not find out the hard way.
Ten years ago, the WTS wasn't what one finds it to be today. It was no better mind you, it was still the land off poisoned cotton-candy. But today, the characteristics of a "cult" can be found ever more than in the past. And this is in ever increasing quantity.
When I look at the examples of dangerous cults of the modern era, one paticular facet of a group makes the defining feature. That is CONTROL.
Control, over every facet of a person's life, seems to me to be the defining factor. And this is abundant, more so with each passing day.
There seems to be a growing thirst for it on the part of the leadership, right on down to the elder bodies. Right now, the elders are going around asking publishers, in an off the cuff sort of way,"SO brother, did you get your reservaton made for the convention time? Or they might start by inquiring if you had any trouble getting the time off.
The point is, they are polling the members to make sure that everyone is going. This, as a result of the fact that more and more want to attend less and less. And they know it!
So, they are turning up the heat, putting pressure on the R&F so that they will feel the elders breath on the backs of their necks. And this is just one of the things you will be subjected to if you join this high control group.
Is the WTS a cult? I am in it. I want out.
What do you think?
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New ....NO-"Donation Arrangement"
by biblexaminer inif any of you are/were jws, then you know of the "donation arrangement", the semantical approach of the wts to soliciting donations/funds.
i remember when this was initiated.
much talk was made about it.
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biblexaminer
If any of you are/were JWs, then you know of the "donation arrangement", the semantical approach of the WTS to soliciting donations/funds.
I remember when this was initiated. Much talk was made about it. The "Kingdom Ministry" always mentioned it on the back page within the structure of the "suggested presentations". We as brothers were told continually to highlight this 'aspect of out Christian ministry' when handling Service Meeting parts.
I am sitting here going through the latest KM and going back through the months. I don't see any mention of it for months and months. We have not been instructed to highlight it. The "circuit overseer" does not even mention it any more and at the last few assemblies, there has not been spoken a word about "the donation arrangement".
Conspicuous by it's abscence, the "donation arrangement" seems to be dead.
[B]Long live the King.
PS None of the "publishers" that I have questioned even use it. They say they "don't like it". Nobody gets the $cash$ any more.[/I]
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Edward Dunlap recording
by Geoff ini thought one of the points made by this edward dunlap ( http://www.consolidatedcap.com/media/dunlap.html).
character was particularly interesting.
he said that he believed that pual in the christian times believed that "faith alone was enough to garantee that you where saved.
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biblexaminer
Where is the WTBTS going with "works"? I believe the point that E. Dunlap was making, and by the way my goodie-2-shoes-dub bro's, Dunlap helped formulate most of what you believe on this subject by means of the book Commentary on the Letter of James was that the WTBTS's dicta that we need to bang doors to avoid destruction is in error.
James wrote of "works", yet nowhere in the letter does he mention preaching as being in among works of faith. Works DID include helping the sick and needy. Do you do that?
In our congregation, some ones were sickly. Nobody came 'round to visit, so the sickly one called the C.O. and complained "make them love me... So, he did. He got together with the elders and at the meeting he directed that the body should choose somebody to "love" this sister. The ones chosen then had to go to the home of the sickly ones and ccok/clean, whatever... and then make a detailed written report to the elders. Now how's that for love!
Legislated love.
The point is, the "works" of Jehovah's Witnesses, and I am one so I know, is not a demonstration of faith, but a legislated whitewash. Even if they were to do the real works of which James wrote, and of which Ed Dunlap felt were authentic works, these too are to be legislated rather than motivated by faith, and love....
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biblexaminer
[HR]
Hello and good morning to everyone
Welcome to...[HR] -
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Can someone tell me.....?
by biblexaminer ini have seen that some here post with italics, bold, underline, blockquote and horizontal line.
i have examined the source for some of these posts and they look regular html.
yet, when i have tried, the post appears without the formatting and the source html code appears as text.
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biblexaminer
I have seen that some here post with Italics, Bold, Underline, Blockquote and Horizontal Line
How is this done? I have examined the source for some of these posts and they look regular HTML. Yet, when I have tried, the post appears without the formatting and the source HTML code appears as text.