Posts by OldSoul

6

JW answers inquiring student!

by Atlantis in

jw
friends

http://voice.paly.net/view_feedback.php?id=1792 date:september 29, 2005name:alex cullage:20subject:informationcomment: .

i am doing a college course and need to find out about jehova's witnesses.

i have been asked to find out about diet, clothing, belief systems, festivals, family composition and any special childcare practices.

OldSoul

It bothers Prado when people make cult references about his religion. "It's just another religion, something to believe in," he says.

I wonder, how long 'til the JC? I can hear it now:

Elder #1: Prado, how have you been?

[beads of sweat forming on brow as he realizes, there are three of them, three is for emphasis]
Prado: Fine Brother, just fine.

Elder #2: Prado, we were made aware that you minimized the Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses in a recent interview.

Prado: The what?

[frustration with publisher ignorance growing]
Elder #2: The "Christian..." nevermind, it used to be the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society.

[looks aghast, wisely sensing a witch hunt]
Prado: What? No! I would never!

Elder #3: So, you are saying that the reporter misquoted you?

[seeing a way out]
Prado: Y-yeah. Yes. The reporter must have misquoted me.

Elder #3: You see, Prado, that is odd because we have the reporter's original notes. He said he took the words down verbatim.

[the dogs are yipping, the cornered animal is paralyzed with fear]
Prado: Um, well, I uh...

Elder #1: Prado, do you feel that this organization is "just another religion" and "something to believe in."

Prado: Sure. Yes, of course! Well, the best one obviously, otherwise I wouldn't be one of Jehovah's Witnesses.

Elder #2: So you do recognize that the Organization is God's Channel for communication to humans on earth today?

Prado: Sure!

Elder #3: Well, Prado, that didn't come through in your interview. What do you think you should do about that?

Prado: I..uh, well I suppose...I guess maybe I could ask if they will print a correction?

Elder #2: Are you asking us what we think you should do, or telling us what you want to do?

Prado: Yes. First thing tomorrow I will ask them to print a correction.

Elder #1: I am so glad we were able to clear this up so easily. Let's pray.

[Prado leaves after prayer]

Elder #3: So, where do you guys want to go to eat? Steak house?

Elder #2: Not again! Let's go someplace new. There's a new bar and grille on Main that has cheap beers.

Elder #1: Sounds fine. Let's go!

21

"We aren't prideful, we are just giving credit to God's organization"

by Check_Your_Premises in

jw
friends

i reply, "well if that were true, then why do you have to run down all the other christians?".

jw response: "nobody is attacking them personally.

it is the teachings.

OldSoul

JamesThomas,

Is there no room for Christianity in your doxy? If not, I have misjudged you.

I think I got your point, but there are a lot of Christians I know personally who do not try to convert others to their doxy or insist that their doxy is the only way to God.

Respectfully,
OldSoul

64

Do Must Dubs Have Pre-Marital Sex?

by tall penguin in

it's not often talked about but in my experience a lot of witnesses have sex (or something like it) during their courtship.

and most of them never go to the elders about it.

recent case in point: my dear friend got married this past summer.

OldSoul

I don't know what gets into these people to go and tell the elders.

An abundance of guilt. Being a Jehovah's Witness is like being a Catholic without the benefit of absolution. "You feel like crap? Good, that's you're supposed to feel, you good fer nothing slave.Back to the field, and don't you dare miss a meeting or we may have to reconsider just reproving you." To be fair, most don't present it quite that way. But I believe the feeling you get from it is described very well. Freedom? OldSoul

21

"We aren't prideful, we are just giving credit to God's organization"

by Check_Your_Premises in

jw
friends

i reply, "well if that were true, then why do you have to run down all the other christians?".

jw response: "nobody is attacking them personally.

it is the teachings.

OldSoul

BillyGoat,

Spot on! That is the single hardest thing to overcome in my experience with trying to help WItnesses wake up.

They elevate the Organization above God, but if you ask them they know it is not. It is a dissonance similar to that required of Catholics who believe the Pope is the final authority in all matters Spiritually. They would never say he is above God, but they believe his word carries MORE WEIGHT than God's.

Jehovah's Witnesses do not believe they have a doctrine of magisterium and boldly decry the Catholic Church for their doctrine of magisterium, but if you supplant the Pope/collective Bishopric with the GB/FDS you have an identical match in the resulting effect.

Respectfully,
OldSoul

41

PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION AGAINST ANIMAL CRUELTY

by Sam the Man in

jw
friends

please do not read if you get overly upset by animal cruelty .

in the indian ocean, they are using live dogs and cats to throw in as bait for sharks.

rspca petition.

OldSoul

Snopes verified. True. British journal Sun ran the story Wednesday. Also, the petition links to the actual RSPCA Web site, another telltale sign of veracity.

21

"We aren't prideful, we are just giving credit to God's organization"

by Check_Your_Premises in

jw
friends

i reply, "well if that were true, then why do you have to run down all the other christians?".

jw response: "nobody is attacking them personally.

it is the teachings.

OldSoul

I don't think it is boring at all. I just think you nailed it first post through the gate. You covered everything I would have mentioned given what you posted. I didn't have anything to add.

Since you added you are trying to get down the "talking points," I would suggest that if you are plannig to hit a JW with this you invert your argument. Start with the things they agree with completely. You could lead off with Scripturally establishing this: The standards a person holds themselves to has nothing to do with what standards they chose to criticize in others. And the fact that you might hold yourself to higher standards in no way makes you superior. We all have fallen short.

They will readily agree, having no clue that they have just judged their own leaders as Pharisees. Just find the common ground first, then work from there.

Respectfully,
OldSoul

21

"We aren't prideful, we are just giving credit to God's organization"

by Check_Your_Premises in

jw
friends

i reply, "well if that were true, then why do you have to run down all the other christians?".

jw response: "nobody is attacking them personally.

it is the teachings.

OldSoul

Now, jgnat! I am shocked! You have been reading Shining One for all this time and don't yet know that a statement that something is factual is sufficient evidence to prove it so?

ROFL

21

"We aren't prideful, we are just giving credit to God's organization"

by Check_Your_Premises in

jw
friends

i reply, "well if that were true, then why do you have to run down all the other christians?".

jw response: "nobody is attacking them personally.

it is the teachings.

OldSoul

[in the voice of Jon Stewart of The Daily Show] Um [ahem!] I, uh...I agree?

64

Do Must Dubs Have Pre-Marital Sex?

by tall penguin in

it's not often talked about but in my experience a lot of witnesses have sex (or something like it) during their courtship.

and most of them never go to the elders about it.

recent case in point: my dear friend got married this past summer.

OldSoul

Nope. No sex before marriage for me. And it hasn't been sporadic since, either. I lucked out. I married a beautiful woman I love intensely who loves me intensely and really enjoys having sex...a lot. 8 years now and I still Energizer (energize her)

But I think that part of it has to do with keeping interest alive. We don't have JW sex, by any means.

TMI?

OldSoul

87

Why Fundyism is Irrational

by jgnat in

lately i've been putting a lot of thought in to what is rational and what must be relegated to faith alone.

ever since the scientific method was discovered, humanity has attempted to put it to work in so many areas.

after all, discoveries exploded once we were set free from the shackles of tradition.

OldSoul

Sorry, jgnat. We just took your thread into a whole new area, I didn't mean to. I was excited to debate about it, but it should have been a new thread.

Penitently,
OldSoul