TheListener

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Posts by TheListener

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  8

  16,000,000 Attend memorial??

  by breeze in

  1. jw
  2. friends

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  i attended the memorial last night and the speaker announced that last year 16,000,000 people attended the memorial.. i have a hard time believing that!!!!.

  breeze

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  TheListener

  In 2004 - 16,760,607 attended memorial

  In 2005 - 16,383,333 attended memorial

  That is a reduction of 377,274 - Let's hope this year continues a downward trend.
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  8

  16,000,000 Attend memorial??

  by breeze in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  i attended the memorial last night and the speaker announced that last year 16,000,000 people attended the memorial.. i have a hard time believing that!!!!.

  breeze

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  TheListener

  The halls I know about - less than twice the number of publishers showed up. Forget about twice the number of meeting attenders, they couldn't even get twice the number of publishers. That includes kids and deadbeat spouses like me.
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  33

  WT 5/1/06 -Backing Away from 1914? - NO

  by TheListener in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  backing away from 1914?

  i think not.. may 1, 2006 wt third study article on page 27, paragraph 2 and 3 state:.

  "2. almost 30 years after that pentecost in 33 c.e., the apostle paul confirmed that christ had not yet taken full kingdom power, but he was "at the right hand of god, from then on awaiting until his enemies should be placed as a stool for his feet.

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  TheListener

  Backing away from 1914? I think not.

  May 1, 2006 WT third study article on page 27, paragraph 2 and 3 state:

  "2. Almost 30 years after that Pentecost in 33 C.E., the apostle Paul confirmed that Christ had not yet taken full Kingdom power, but he was "at the right hand of God, from then on awaiting until his enemies should be placed as a stool for his feet." (Hebrews 10:12, 13) Then, near the end of the first century C.E., the aged apostle John foresaw in a vision the Universal Sovereign, Jehovah, installing Christ Jesus as King of the newborn heavenly Kingdom. (Revelation 11:15; 12:1-5) From our vantage point in history, we can review the overwhelming evidence confirming that Christ began to rule as Messianic King in heaven in 1914.*

  3. Yes, since 1914 the good news of the Kingdom has taken on a thrilling new aspect. Christ has actively been ruling as King of God's heavenly Kingdom, although "in the midst of [his] enemies." (Psalm 110:1,2; Matthew 24:14; Revelation 12:7-12) Moreover, throughout the earth, his loyal subjects are responding eagerly to his authority by participating in a global Bible education program unequaled in mankind's history. (Daniel 7:13,14; Matthew 28:18) Spirit-anointed Christians, "sons of the kingdom," serve as "ambassadors substituting for Christ." They are loyall supported by a flourishing throng of Christ's "other sheep," who function as envoys of God's Kingdom. (Matthew 13:38; 2 Corinthians 5:20; John 10:16) Even so, we need to analyze whether we as individuals truly recognize Christ's authority. Are we unflinchingly loyal to him? How can we show loyalty to a King who rules in heaven? Let us first discuss, though, what reasons we have for being loyal to Christ.

  *See Reasoning From the Scriptures, "Why do Jehovah's Witnesses say that God's Kingdom was established in 1914? pages 95-7, published by Jehovah's Witnesses."

  This will be studied June 12 - 18, 2006. This is the WT study right before the 5/15/06 WT on "Are You Prepared for Survival?" that has been discussed recently on the boards.
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  34

  New to the forum - want to introduce myself

  by lovelylil in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  hi my name is lillian and i am posting for my first time.

  i was a witness along with my husband and two children for 12 years and gave in my letter of disasociation about a year and a half ago.

  i have struggled with the guilt of bringing my family in contact with the witnesses (i have always been a bible searcher) and i am only coming to terms with this recently.. i now consider myself a born again believer in christ jesus and read my bible daily to check and see what is true.

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  TheListener

  Welcome Lillian. It's good to have you here.

  You may want to remove your address, however, this is a fairly public board and it may not be wise to advertise personal details with your personal address.
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  25

  How does mainstream Christianity explain "Other Sheep"?

  by Alana in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i'm preparing for a potential discussion with my mom and, especially if it occurs near this memorial time, the discussion may contain the "other sheep" and how they are different and shouldn't partake of the emblems, etc.

  i know that i probably have this information researched already, but since my last move i can't find some my research materials.

  i could also ask the pastor of the church i attend, but that involves too much discussion as to what the jw's believe, etc.

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  TheListener

  Oh man. Narkissos you beat me by one minute!!
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  25

  How does mainstream Christianity explain "Other Sheep"?

  by Alana in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  i'm preparing for a potential discussion with my mom and, especially if it occurs near this memorial time, the discussion may contain the "other sheep" and how they are different and shouldn't partake of the emblems, etc.

  i know that i probably have this information researched already, but since my last move i can't find some my research materials.

  i could also ask the pastor of the church i attend, but that involves too much discussion as to what the jw's believe, etc.

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  TheListener

  I know this isn't exactly what you're looking for but : Gentiles.

  Ok now everyone else can fill in the supporting details.
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  48

  May 15 WT - Survival depends on loyal association with the organization

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  with the recent wt articles stressing how "new light" has appeared over the decades, this article is geared towards making sure individuals are active within the organization in order to ensure their survival.. this article is taken from e-watchman's discussion board, this is not my article.. .

  http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1019&st=0.

  just got a hold of the new may 15, 2006 watchtower containing the study article, "are you prepared for survival?

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  TheListener

  Frankly Auld Soul I agree with you agreement of my post.

  In my experience this type of stance will have the effect of "scaring" many weak ones to increasing their activity.

  Thus, should such a change be made, the WTS may see an increase and not a decrease in their statistics in the year or two following the announcement.

  However, I truly believe that those weak ones spurred into action by fear would slowly wear out and yet again find themselves under the heel of the organization, only this time instead of becoming inactive and faded - they'll be announced to the congregation and shunned.

  In the long run this kind of move by the WTS could have the effects of strengthening their core members and making them even more sure armageddon is coming quite soon - but even they face the possibility of death or wearing out.

  For me personally, I believe that something like this would further shake the wavering faith of several individuals I know.

  “Publishers are like a handful of sand- the tighter you grasp them, the faster they run through your fingers” -anonymous
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  48

  May 15 WT - Survival depends on loyal association with the organization

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  with the recent wt articles stressing how "new light" has appeared over the decades, this article is geared towards making sure individuals are active within the organization in order to ensure their survival.. this article is taken from e-watchman's discussion board, this is not my article.. .

  http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1019&st=0.

  just got a hold of the new may 15, 2006 watchtower containing the study article, "are you prepared for survival?

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  TheListener

  Oh and also.

  The organization knows that weak members weaken other family and friends over time. Usually.

  By limiting contact with such ones they may feel they can bolster the faith of the believing family and friends.

  A smaller zealous group safe from outside information might be more controllable and profitable for the organization.
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  48

  May 15 WT - Survival depends on loyal association with the organization

  by truthseeker in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  with the recent wt articles stressing how "new light" has appeared over the decades, this article is geared towards making sure individuals are active within the organization in order to ensure their survival.. this article is taken from e-watchman's discussion board, this is not my article.. .

  http://e-jehovahs-witnesses.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=1019&st=0.

  just got a hold of the new may 15, 2006 watchtower containing the study article, "are you prepared for survival?

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  TheListener

  I agree with your comments Mary, but I do think they could "DA" incorrigible ones. Most dubs wouldn't bat an eye if an inactive one were given multiple chances to return and chose not to and was subsequently DA'd.

  I feel that they've been setting something up since the release of the new Organized book in March 2005 (date?).

  They brought special attention to the DF and DA arrangement and the announcement changes.

  They will be changing something, but the question is what?

  Perhaps it will be a softening. Perhaps they'll show that when someone is announced as no longer a JW they need not be shunned automatically. Only ones who are active fighters against God's organization deserve that treatment.

  Or

  Perhaps it will be a toughening. After a certain amount of time (biblically determined of course) an inactive individual will be announced as no longer a JW thus keeping the congregation clean and alerting the community that so-and-so isn't a witness and their activity doesn't reflect on the congregation.
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  28

  Inactive people, who show up only for the memorial.

  by free2beme in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have a friend who has been inactive as a witness for nearly six years.

  yesterday i mentioned that i had wednesday off and wanted to see if they wanted to get something done wednesday, we had been trying to find time for, for awhile now.

  out of the blue, they said "i can't, the memorial is wednesday.

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  TheListener

  I will be going to the memorial.

  Why?

  Because it would strain my marriage even further if I didn't. We may be surviving my lack of meetings, and service, but if I miss the memorial it would be like I'm announcing I don't believe in Jesus anymore.

  I'm not ready to make that sort of announcement.

  I'm not given a hard time about my fade so I can be flexible when necessary too.

  So I'm going to the memorial.