Posts by blondie

27

Is This New?

by Lost in the fog in

it is a very long time since i was an elder and the elders textbooks have changed multiple times since then.

going back to when i was an elder, to the best of my knowledge the only way a spouse could divorce from his/her partner was porneia, if that person had sexual relations with a man, woman, child, or beast.

but it had to be proven and that's the dubious 2 witness rule.. in fact, if it was not proven and the innocent party divorced and married someone else, then they could be hauled up in front of a judicial committee and be charged with committing adultery and disfellowshipped!

blondie

The Watchtower definition of fornication (porneía) has changed over the years, and quite illogically homosexuality and bestiality were not grounds for divorce in the 1970's then 1983, a complete flip.

Watchtower 1983 12/15 p.27

"That fornication (which in the Bible sense includes adultery and gross sexual immorality such as homosexuality) can break up a marriage. Scripturally, the innocent partner has the right to divorce the guilty one and remarry without sin in God’s eyes."

Watchtower 1/1/1972 p. 32

While both homosexuality and bestiality are disgusting perversions, in the case of neither one is the marriage tie broken. It is broken only by acts that make an individual “one flesh” with a person of the opposite sex other than his or her legal marriage mate.

26

JW's in war zone

by Gorb in

jw
friends

there is so much silence about the jw's in the ukraine conflict.

are the jw men arrested because they don't want to fight?

how is that going in the hyper nationalist fase the country is in?

blondie

The issue of whether jws should take up arms in the wars on earth have been discussed surely since 1914 when WW1 broke out, and during every war since then. So the reasons have been fairly clear that the WTS does not support its members doing so. In fact, now it is considered "disassociating yourself" if you do (DAing). While the WTS is wishwashy about it and says it is an individual choice, but it comes with a punishment if you chose "wrong." There was been much discussion over time about being drafted, and there have been many "legal get-arounds" used by the WTS, and major changes that meant some went to prison or were executed for not becoming part of the military before that "adjustment", only to have some able to do community service instead later and avoid prison.. Jws in Korea still are routinely sent to prison.

12

More Watchtower Quotes

by Sea Breeze in

the secret of the greater intelligence and aptitude of the caucasian undoubtedly in great measure is to be attributed to the commingling of blood amongst its various branches; and this was evidently forced in large measure by circumstances under divine control.“ — charles taze russell zion's watch tower (july 15, 1902), pp.

215-216.. golden age, july 1, 1927..... every bedroom [should receive] at least two hours of sunlight everyday.

[this will] kill tuberculosis and other germs.

blondie

I remember that BettyHumpter. 1971 book The Nations Shall Know That I Am Jehovah”—How Chapter 20 p.377 "Doubtless the Almighty God will use some highly scientific means, whether including antimatter or not, to dispose of the surplus of decaying bodies in a speedy and sanitary way." The WTS covered their rear for future critique of this by using the word "doubtless" to give them a way out saying they were not stating it was a fact, just the WTS surmising it might happen, of course, if the WTS says it you can't say it is not true, but you must wait for the WTS/GB to "adjust" or "clarify" it.

11

refusing to go in service with someone

by enoughisenough in

did you ever refuse to go in service with someone?

i did.... i went to the kh to meet for service and 3 brothers were there.

i told the brother taking the lead, that when he made up the car groups to take note i had a plan of my own -the 3 brothers could go together and i would do my own thing.

blondie

There were at least 10 men and women I refused to go with because they always picked fights with people at the door and one time with the owner of the apartment building about their legal right to preach from door to door even though the elders had told her to refer such situations to them. One time I went back in casual clothing and talked to one man and apologized for her behavior. He and his wife invited me in and we had coffee and home-made cookies and had a peaceful and fun conversation about the positive things people do every day to help others. And the jw who had been with me did not have any diagnosed mental illness (that's another issue).

7

"Christian Witnesses of Jah" by Greg Stafford

by Bartolomeo in

forum
links

how many of you know greg stafford and his youtube channel "christian witnesses of jah"?

.

i really like his style, always calm, respectful of the holy scriptures and firmly based on them to analyze the teachings of the wt from which he disagrees.

blondie

I am surprised he is still around.

24

Two Bible teachings JW's DON'T know about....

by BoogerMan in

....but the november 2022 study watchtower will definitely instruct them.. 1) god's name is jehovah!.

2) jehovah is using an earthly organization to do his will - not jesus!.

in study article 45, 'jehovah' is mentioned at least 60 times.

blondie

Years ago, I posted on here how often the WTS used Jehovah compared to using Jesus/Christ. I was amazed how often Jehovah was used, way more than Jesus. Same in the so-called Kingdom songs. Although, checking the bible, no mention of "Jehovah's witnesses" in the New Testament, only "witnesses of Jesus" or witnessing about Jesus, The WTS tries to use Revelation 1:5, but it falls short compared to all the others about witnessing for Jesus. And Acts 11:26 says "Acts 11:26 New International Version "and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year Barnabas and Saul met with the church and taught great numbers of people. The disciples were called Christians first at Antioch." Called Christians not Jehovah's witnesses and some versions of this scripture say "by divine providence." (Divine Providence — that is, under God's sovereign guidance and control. " What does the WTS bible say: "After he found him, he brought him to Antioch. So for a whole year they assembled with them in the congregation and taught quite a crowd, and it was first in Antioch that the disciples were by divine providence called Christians" WTS says: “the disciples were by divine providence called Christians.” (Acts 11:26) This was a God-given name that they readily accepted." Why didn't their god by divine providence, call the early followers of Jesus, Jehovah's witnesses?

55

2022-Secret Watchtower Disfellowshipping Reference Manual.

by Atlantis in

jw
friends

massive new document written by wt, 837 pages, meant for arguments vs officials and media to defend the disfellowshipping arrangement.

found in the casefile in norway.

meant to be secret.. .

blondie

I found both sites have expired. Is there another link?

10

Knocking on schoolmates doors

by BettyHumpter in

jw
friends

i left the jw's shortly after i graduated high school.

but when i was still at home i'd get dragged into door to door every saturday morning without fail unless it was pissing rain.

i can remember always being anxious to know what territory my group was assigned.

blondie

I didn't mind confirming to someone that I was one of Jehovah's witnesses but I did not consider it an opening to convert them. I never really did anything at school to avoid it. I hung out with 4 other non-jw girls and we called ourselves the "Bible Girls" because we talked about the bible at lunch almost everyday, not trying to convert each other though. When I was in high school, there were no pledges said (my schoolmates called it baby stuff), but at programs for the whole school, there was a pledge allegiance said. I had permission from the principal to stay out in the hallway until it was over and come in and sit down. One teacher decided that I could not do that and made me sit with my homeroom group. They knew I as a jw and did not stand and understood what the teacher was trying to do. So when the flag came down the aisle, everyone stood up except my homeroom group. 25 students sitting. The principal gave the teacher a stern warning never to do that again. Because of that, when I was at a door of a classmate (I was well known by then throughout the school), they were interested in listening and I did not give the canned presentation. My experience may be unusual, but I never had some classmate be mean to me because of it.

2

Searchlight on Russellism

by vienne in

i'm trying to help uncle b with his research.

he is seeking scans of a magazine published between 1915 and maybe 1917 entitled searchlight on russellism.

one issue is at harvard divinity school library.

blondie

Russellism or Rutherfordism - Forgotten Books search for this on Google (may be related)

Or this:

https://ed5015.tripod.com/JwRussellismIn1915_147.html

38

Did you ever meet someone born in the 1800’s?

by Fisherman in

i met freddie franz who was born in the 1880’s and many others from the 1880’s.

but as a very small child i remember someone very old aged 106 and that person was born around 1856 which means that he was around people from the 1700’s..

blondie

My grandfather and his friends. I was amazed, but he told me how life had changed for him since then.