Posts by Forscher

20

I don't celebrate holidays, and other "reformed JW" things about me........

by WingCommander in

jw
friends

while i don't agree with the wt's views on shunning, blood transfusions, or how they conduct themselves, i can honestly say i wouldn't celebrate holidays even if i felt like it.

maybe it's that i've been brought up jw, i dunno.

halloween is sort of fun, but i know of it's pagan origins.

Why is it wrong for step-daughter to go from FT Pioneer to Aux. Pioneer?

by wordlywife in

jw
friends

hi all- i haven't posted in quite a while but visit here a lot.

i am a non-witness married to a reinstated jw.

we were married when he was df, long story.

WW. It isn't Jehovah who is exacting the toll, it is men who say they have the authority to speak in his name! Not to long ago I was visited by a pioneer sister who'd thought it might be a good idea to stop by and see my wife and I. I couldn't believe what I saw! Between pioneering, working at night, and the responsibilities of a single mother, the poor woman was on the verge of a physical collapse! That is what happens when one follows men, not God. Just remember that your step-daughter is doing this because, in her world, she has to in order to feel important. Support her the best you can. that's about all you can do.

18

Revelation 11:18 ("bring to ruin those ruining the earth") Meaning?

by AlmostAtheist in

hey folks,.

just curious, any concensus on what john actually meant here?

i doubt a guy in the first century could honestly envision a time when mankind could genuinely "ruin the earth" if the idea struck them.

Forscher

John was probably thinking in terms of the sixth chapter of Genesis with which he would have been very familiar.

20

What is a disfellowshipping offense?

by M.J. in

i had a brief discussion with my wife about the practice of shunning and i asked her if the act of associating with a df'ed or "apostate" individual would get someone disfellowshipped.

she denied that it would, saying that it was not included among the specific "disfellowshipping offenses" listed in the bible.

yet my understanding is that there are many things that can get a jw disfellowshipped which aren't among the immoral practices specifically listed by paul in that context.

Forscher

Sorry folks. I still am not able to properly format my posts here.

20

What is a disfellowshipping offense?

by M.J. in

i had a brief discussion with my wife about the practice of shunning and i asked her if the act of associating with a df'ed or "apostate" individual would get someone disfellowshipped.

she denied that it would, saying that it was not included among the specific "disfellowshipping offenses" listed in the bible.

yet my understanding is that there are many things that can get a jw disfellowshipped which aren't among the immoral practices specifically listed by paul in that context.

Forscher

Tell your freind that if they will check out the 1930-1985 index of WTBS publications, they will find under the listing for disfellowshiping a list of grounds for disfellowshipping. On that list is "Refusal to cease fellowship withdisfellowshipped." *** dx30-85 Disfellowshipping *** grounds: si 257; w83 3/15 31; w80 9/1 30; g78 6/22 28; w75 287; km 2/74 4, 6; w73 594; km 9/73 8; w72 543; ad 217, 550, 602; w67 127; g67 2/22 4; ms 163; w63 410-11, 413; w61 63-4, 96, 284-5, 596-7; yb61 133; g61 11/8 4; w60 159-60, 277-8, 684-5, 690, 725-8; w59 171, 176-9; w58 95, 209-20, 478; g58 3/22 26; g58 4/8 25-6; w56 345-8, 563-6, 590-8, 667-8; w55 126-7, 500, 607; w54 590-6; w52 133-5; w51 239-40; w49 240; w46 75-6 abandoning wife and eloping with another woman: w79 11/15 31-2; w76 728 apostasy: w83 4/1 22-4; km 8/80 1, 4 bestiality: w83 6/1 25 employment violating Christian principles: km 9/76 6 following mourning customs that involve false worship: w85 4/15 25 fraud: om 142-5 homosexuality: w83 6/1 24-6 incestuous marriage: w78 3/15 26 parents condoning immorality: w56 566 planned adultery to break Scriptural marriage ties: w83 3/15 29 refusal to cease fellowship with disfellowshipped: w81 9/15 25-6

20

Just got something ... thought it might help

by RobertPalmer in

was just out at church and came home picked up my bible and read some thing.

it really jumped out at me so i thought i would share it ... it never made sense to me before it was always very confusing.

if it confuses you wait for the explination because i feel it may let you see what i saw in it.

Forscher

This is a sad case of too much being read into a scripture by people. First of all, the word translatied as "robbery" is the only occurence of the greek word "harpagmos" in the scripture and its meaning is not well understood. Because it is found in connection with the word "morphe" (form, as in essential form of), it is almost alway turned into a "proof text" on the trinity by one side or the other in the trinitarian debate and the essential meaning of the verse gets overshadowed. When the context of the verse is considered, the author meant for the reader to be impressed with the need for a Christian to humble, just as the Lord Jesus was. Jesus existed in heaven having the same essential form as God, but was humble enough not to hang on to, or "seize", this equality with God in nature (remember that, whether he was God or not [I believe not], the very nature of existence in the spiritual plane itself implies a form of equality for all spirit creatures). The HUMILITY is what is being here emphasized.

21

Fun Quiz: What Religion Best Suits You?

by Sunchild in

jw
friends

i found this awhile ago on another message board.

just thought i would share:.

what religion best suits you?.

Forscher

I came up as a TRUE CHRISTIAN. It shocked me when it said that I read the Bible in its original languages because I do! I know that was probably meant as a bit of a joke. Oh well (sigh).

27

MUST you respond in a thread?

by logansrun in

jw
friends

i've come to a new conclusion about myself, this board and communication in general: i don't need to respond, elaborate, explain or otherwise defend myself to other people.

most notably on this board, of course.

here's my reasoning: .

Forscher

Logansrun said: 1) When an obviously ill-informed or biased poster -- such as a JW apologist, creationist, dogmatic religionist or nutty Republican -- directs their hogwash to me, it is extraordinarily unlikely that my response will change their opinion. ********************************************************************************** My response: After trying to reason with unimformed evolutionnists, fanatical liberals, and hysterical Democrats ----- who always ranted and raved at me while I was in college (I earned a Bachelor of Science degree), I tend to agree with the sentiments you've expressed here about taking such foolishness on.

14

question for history buffs..

by candidlynuts in

jw
friends

last night my honey and i watched the program about pharoah on discovery channel.. they did facial reconstruction of pharoah and his sons heads...

anyway..in it they discussed how monotheism began with the egyptians.. that led to my honey and i talking about how people worshipped "god" in isolated areas thruout history before christianity or any other religions came to them.

what we know of history people would have rain gods, sun gods, earth gods , fertility gods etc.

Forscher

There is one geneticist who argues that the need is genetically built into us. He is getting some flack over his theories since some of his colleagues suspect that it might be a back-handed way to prove creationism. For me, it is of interest since some of my college work was in Anthropology.

46

What is your most ridiculous example of being shunned?

by formerout in

i was just having lunch in a wendy's near my house an hour ago.

an elder and his wife entered and got in line to order without seeing me seated in the eating area.

after a minute the wife turned and saw me.

Forscher

Alot of folks get shunned without a clue as to what they did. In my case, I've spent more time getting the cold shoulder than not. And guess what? I've never been reproved, Df'd, or Da'd. But, it doesn't matter. For awhile, I had an elder that had it in for me. Shortly after I got married, my wife and I were shunned for not treating her Ex right in this elder's eyes. (no kidding. No hearing on the matter. Just this elder putting the word around that the elders had "marked us and we were to be shunned.) Later, our daughter was raped. along came this brother with a committee and she was Df'd (even though she wasn't baptised.). We were included unofficially. I can remember brothers seeing us in the ailse of stores and turning around and going the other way to avoid us (my wife and I.) when my daughter was "reinstated" one sister walked up to my wife after the meeting and told he rthat she was "glad I can now talk to you." Remember, this was to my WIFE not our daughter. The same elder, by the way, maneuvered things around so that his fornicating son who had privileges in the congregation didn't go before a committee for what he was openly doing (living with a worldy girl at that!). And the same elder kept on finding any excuse to tell the friends to shun us. In time, I quit worrying and started in college. Guess what? Ole Brother Forscher was now shunned for that! I guess you can't win for losing! My son marries the p.o.'s Daughter and becomes a Ministerial Servant. Guess what? HE shuns me!!! I have a grandson I never seen now. Not even a picture! So now, several congregations later, I am innactive and as far as I am concerned they can just stay out of my way!