(antichrists are friendly little mouse and rat sized beasts who prey on ordinary mice and rats.
I knew they weren't all that bad!
ringo5
JoinedPosts by ringo5
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My Photos - life in the Australian bush
by unclebruce inthis is tathra wharf looking back over tathra township.
my 40 acres is in the hills to the right.. 130 years old and possibly the only one remaining on the entire australian coast.
it's my favorite fishing place.
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ringo5
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The need for educated proffesonals - more WT hypocrisy?
by jambon1 inone thing that always annoyed me when i was in the org was the policy on education.
i personaly am not college educated, i was`nt raised as a jw.
however, i have always appreciated the services provided by those who have had a college/university education.
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ringo5
If you are a young person, you also need to face the fact that you will never grow old in this present system of things. Why not? Because all the evidence in fulfillment of Bible prophecy indicates that this corrupt system is due to end in a few years. Of the generation that observed the beginning of the "last days" in 1914, Jesus foretold: "This generation will by no means pass away until all these things occur."—Matt. 24:34.
Therefore, as a young person, you will never fulfill any career that this system offers. If you are in highschool and thinking about a college education, it means at least four, perhaps even six or eight more years to graduate into a specialized career. But where will this system of things be by that time? It will be well on the way toward its finish, if not actually gone! (Awake! 1969 May 22 p. 15)
Unc do you or does anyone else have a scan of that article? (It's not on the CDROM for some reason:)) -
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HELP PLEASE---family emergency
by apostlestate inthis is my first time ever participating in any discussion with ex -witnesses ever, and it's long overdue.
i discovered the real truth about 6 years ago with the aid of websites like this (cannot contain my gratefulness), now i am stepping into your world and it feels right.
my family runs four generations deep in witness muck,my great-grandmother was the oldest living pioneer in our region for what seemed like forever, three of my great-grandparents were "anointed",my grandfather hobnobbed with the governing body, etc.,etc.
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ringo5
You might like this ,entertaining and informative...587 BC for total dunderheads
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HELP Please!!!
by RichieRich inok, so remember this guy: http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/6/104535/1.ashx ?.
brief overview... black college professor / lawyer, recently came in the truth... yadda yadda.. well, i worked with him out in service, and we were talking about mormanism, and he said that he knew mormanism was wrong because they once taught that black folks couldnt go to heaven, but then they magically changed and said they could.
so then i asked him how he felt about the society's old stance on black people.
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ringo5
If you or this "Bro" have the CDROM then you can show them this....
*** w52 2/1 pp. 94-96 Questions from Readers ***
Questions from Readers
• If the Watchtower Society is free from racial prejudice, why does it tolerate segregation at its assemblies in certain sections of country? Is this not a course of compromise?—F. C., Wisconsin.
Why do we tolerate the segregation laws and policies of certain governments and organizations of this world? Because Jehovah has not commissioned us to convert the world, which is wicked beyond recovery and hence will be destroyed. Jehovah has commissioned us to preach the gospel. Now what should we do? Drop preaching to fight racial issues? We never have separate meetings and baptisms when we can have them together. But when impossible, shall we have separate meetings and baptisms, or none at all? Shall we serve spiritual food to all, even if separately, or serve it to none? Shall we provide baptism for all, even if separately, or provide it for none? Should we buck Caesar’s segregation laws, when they do not force us to violate God’s laws? God does not forbid separate assembly and baptism, and he commands assembly and baptism. (Matt. 28:19; Heb. 10:25) So should we disobey God to fight a racial issue? To buck the segregation laws would bring on disruption of the witness work, halting of it, mob violence, and possible loss of life. Only laws prohibiting gospel-preaching will we buck at that price.
Some may argue segregation is prohibited by God, citing Galatians 3:28 (NW): “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor freeman, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in union with Christ Jesus.” That Paul spoke in a spiritual sense and not in a literal, physical sense is obvious, since actually there were male and female, slave and free, Jew and Greek. Because of the existence of Jew and Greek he specially accommodated himself and his preaching to such classes. (1 Cor. 9:19-22) His recognition of slave and freeman we will consider in more detail, since it bears directly on segregation. How so? Because segregation is rooted in slavery, is the outgrowth and hangover of slavery. Segregation, the stain left by slavery, is a lesser evil than slavery. So if the Bible does not instruct Christians to fight slavery it would not sanction them to battle the lesser evil of segregation, at the expense of gospel-preaching.
Even within the Christian congregation Paul did not protest the slavery of his time. Onesimus was Philemon’s slave, and both were Christians. (Philem. 10-16) Paul wrote Timothy, who pictured the society of witnesses today: “Let as many as are slaves under a yoke keep on considering their owners worthy of full honor.” Why? “That the name of God and the teaching may never be spoken of injuriously.” Kingdom preaching and Jehovah’s vindication are the issues to keep foremost, not creature equality and racial issues. “Moreover, let those having believing owners not look down on them, because they are brothers. On the contrary, let them the more readily be slaves, because those receiving the benefit of their good service are believers and beloved.” (1 Tim. 6:1, 2, NW) Here again note that the slavery of those times existed even within the Christian congregation.
Paul also wrote: “In whatever state each one was called, let him remain in it. Were you called a slave? Do not let it worry you; but if you can also become free, rather seize the opportunity.” If Paul could say this regarding slavery, how much more so can it be said to those discriminated against by segregation laws: “Do not let it worry you.” It is no cause for Christian concern or anxiety. But if the Lord’s people are in locations where they are free of segregation laws or policies, they rejoice in the greater freedom and delight to be together in assembly. All are slaves of Christ, as Paul goes on to show: “Anyone in the Lord that was called a slave is the Lord’s freedman: likewise he that was called a free man is a slave of Christ.” (1 Cor. 7:20-24, NW) Surprisingly, some colored brothers have strenuously objected to this, protesting as offensive the use of the word “slave” in the New World Translation. Any who do not wish to be Christ’s slave, whether white or black, can cease such service at any time; but they will be slaves nonetheless, only slaves of Satan and sin. (Rom. 6:16-23, NW) Those who magnify human importance soon hide from their view the really vital issues.
Jehovah is no respecter of persons. Neither are his people. But the world in which we live is. Whites are prejudiced against colored, colored are prejudiced against whites. In some colored communities after nightfall a white person would enter at the risk of his very life. To justify this on the grounds that the whites started the discrimination is not Scriptural. (Rom. 12:17) Now, where the danger is extreme should white persons enter these hostile communities and suffer beating and possibly death to prove they have a democratic right to be there? Should a white witness endanger his life to attend a meeting of colored witnesses in such places, or stay overnight with his colored brothers there, just to prove his democratic right to do so?
Many colored persons practice color-prejudice against their own people. Lighter-colored Negroes will shun the darker ones. Some from the Western Hemisphere look down upon the very dark ones from Africa. In South Africa, whites discriminate against the mixed coloreds, the mixed coloreds against the native blacks, the native blacks against the Indian coolies, and in their native India the Indians discriminate against the no caste or outcasts. Who is innocent to throw the first stone? Can we not see that all classes of the human race are evil, that if we start reforming we shall be lost in an impossible task, with endless discriminations and many varieties or injustices to beat down, which crusading social and political organizations of this world have hopelessly fought for years? For us to become like them would be to fail with them, consume our time in such reforms, lose out as Jehovah’s witnesses, and please only the Devil.
So let us please God by preaching the gospel despite the undesirable conditions the Devil’s world may make for us. Let us not be sidetracked by Satan and caught in a subtle snare camouflaged in lofty motives and ideals. Can we not wait upon Jehovah to avenge the wrongs we suffer now? Really, our colored brothers have great cause for rejoicing. Their race is meek and teachable, and from it comes a high percentage of the theocratic increase. What if the worldly wise and powerful and noble look down on them as foolish and weak and ignoble, not on an equality with self-exalted whites? It is to God’s ultimate honor, for he confounds the wise of this world by choosing those the world considers foolish and weak and ignoble. Let us boast in Jehovah and in our equality in his sight, rather than wanting to boast in equality in the world’s sight. (1 Cor. 1:26-31, NW) In due time the exalted ones will be humbled, and the humble ones will be exalted. (Matt. 23:12) All of us await this vindication from God, which will come in his due time. Until then, as Paul advised concerning slavery we advise concerning its lingering trace, segregation: “Do not let it worry you.” (1 Cor. 7:21, NW) When possible we will meet together, when not possible we will meet separately; but in either event we are always united in spirit, brothers equal in our own sight, in Christ’s sight, and in God’s sight.
• A folder advertising the supposed health aids of The Jonadab Wise School of Health was distributed to Jehovah’s witnesses attending the recent assembly in Washington, D.C., and among other things said: “This unusual authentic service is prepared and offered to you by Jehovah’s Witnesses.” Does the Watchtower Society endorse this?—W. H., California.
No, the Society does not endorse it. For the sake of the record, let us say that we are not medical advisers. We leave it up to each individual to choose his own type of treatment. Some may favor surgery, some medicines, some diets, and some may prefer other forms of treatment. One illness may require surgery, another may call for dieting. Also, the treatment that helps one may be of no aid or even be detrimental to another. So let each one go to those who are trained in the treatment of his choice. The Society is formed for the purpose of preaching the gospel, and in this field of activity we are happy to offer help and advice. We are not professionally trained doctors, and do not advise on health matters except as they may involve Scriptural issues, such as in the case of blood transfusions.
From time to time we do publish articles on such subjects as surgery, chiropractic, osteopathy, zone therapy, etc. Such articles constitute no endorsement of these practices by us. They are offered in Awake! on the same basis that articles on other subjects are offered, namely, as general information and not as a recommendation. God’s provision to restore us to perfection is the ransom by Christ Jesus. In the meantime, fanaticism in health matters is unwise, and absorption in health fads is a form of introversion that keeps the mind on oneself, which is conducive to neither physical nor spiritual health. Sweeping claims for cures by this or that system are always suspect. As stated before, each individual differs. (Rom. 14:2, 3) Moderation is usually beneficial.
Finally, if any claim that the Society is supporting this or that health program, be alerted that such one is wrongly using the Society’s name for commercial purposes, for personal gain. (1 Tim. 6:5-10) Some may attempt to boost their pills or other health products or practices by naming one prominent among Jehovah’s witnesses as a user or patient; that should never be taken to mean that the Society backs such pills or practices. There are both honest ones trying to help and crooked ones working a racket in all the various fields of orthodox and unorthodox therapies. The Society is separate from them, wholly absorbed in its work of gospel-preaching. -
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ringo5
Finally got the picture in there!
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Watchtower Prophesy Guide: Armagedon by 2000AD
by unclebruce in"year 2000" and "20th century" quotations .
from the watchtower societys cd-rom.
following are watchtower bible & tract society predictions of armageddon in the 20th century as found through a word search of the wtss cd-rom.. the society also quoted many secular sources that emphasized crisis in the 20th century.. such secular crisis-quotes would have reinforced in jw minds the prophecies of the world ending in the 20th century.. the following is a list of such secular quotes plus a few more of the wtss own comments.
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ringo5
Good thread unc.
The Paradise Restored has a lot more quotable quotes similar to the one in that article...*** pm chap. 20 pp. 353-355 A “Third Part” Preserved in a Purged Land ***
RELIGIOUS HYPOCRISY EXPOSED
22 Jehovah, the God of the true prophets, will put all false prophets to shame either by not fulfilling the false prediction of such self-assuming prophets or by having His own prophecies fulfilled in a way opposite to that predicted by the false prophets. False prophets will try to hide their reason for feeling shame by denying who they really are. They will try to avoid being killed or being pronounced spiritually dead by Jehovah’s loyal worshipers. He foretold this by having his true prophet Zechariah continue on to say:
23 “And it must occur in that day that the prophets will become ashamed, each one of his vision when he prophesies; and they will not wear an official garment of hair for the purpose of deceiving. And he will certainly say, ‘I am no prophet. I am a man cultivating the soil, because an earthling man himself acquired me from my youth on.’ And one must say to him, ‘What are these wounds on your person between your hands?’ And he will have to say, ‘Those with which I was struck in the house of my intense lovers.’”—Zechariah 13:4-6, NW; JB; NE; NAB; contrast Amos 7:14-17.
Compare pg 23 to this passage:*** g93 3/22 p. 4 Why So Many False Alarms? ***
Jehovah’s Witnesses, in their eagerness for Jesus’ second coming, have suggested dates that turned out to be incorrect. Because of this, some have called them false prophets. Never in these instances, however, did they presume to originate predictions ‘in the name of Jehovah.’ Never did they say, ‘These are the words of Jehovah.’ The Watchtower, the official journal of Jehovah’s Witnesses, has said: “We have not the gift of prophecy.” -
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Respect your Elders - they just moved up a class!
by unclebruce ini just found this article from fellow adelaidite b kotwall.
elders now are "glorious ones"
in the past the watchtower society (wts) claimed that the "glorious ones" in 2 peter 2:10-12 and jude 8 are of the "anointed" or "144,000" or "remnant" of such.
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ringo5
Having met several Elders and their wives lately, the thought occurred that many an Elder was pushed in that direction by his wife.
Possibly, maybe also cause hangin' with other glorious ones is more fun than hangin' a picture or moving the furniture around... -
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Respect your Elders - they just moved up a class!
by unclebruce ini just found this article from fellow adelaidite b kotwall.
elders now are "glorious ones"
in the past the watchtower society (wts) claimed that the "glorious ones" in 2 peter 2:10-12 and jude 8 are of the "anointed" or "144,000" or "remnant" of such.
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ringo5
Your post inspired me to bust a rhyme...
Re: Respect your Elders - they just moved up a class!
Watch out some She-Bear doesn't go medieval on your ass!
(sung to the tune of "Loyally Submitting to Theocratic Order!")
I DO like your post. Maybe they feel that perks such as being called "Glorious" are needed to attract new blood into the Elder ranks, preferably the kind that likes authority.... -
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Respect your Elders - they just moved up a class!
by unclebruce ini just found this article from fellow adelaidite b kotwall.
elders now are "glorious ones"
in the past the watchtower society (wts) claimed that the "glorious ones" in 2 peter 2:10-12 and jude 8 are of the "anointed" or "144,000" or "remnant" of such.
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ringo5
Hey Uncle - Watch out some She-Bear doesn't go medieval on your ass!