Posts by bennyk

47

How do you answer "you research just to criticize"?

by undercover in

jw
friends

minimus' thread about research got me to thinking about a friend who recently accused me of researching just to purposely find something wrong so i could justify my actions (of becoming inactive).. how would you answer this?.

bennyk

*** Awake! 84 8/22 p.28 From Our Readers***

We surely were not trying to take cheap shots at the pope or the Catholic Church, nor

were we criticizing Catholics. The Catholic Church occupies a very significant position

in the world and claims to be the way of salvation for hundreds of millions of people.

Any organization that assumes that position should be willing to submit to scrutiny

and criticism. All who criticize have the obligation to be truthful in presenting the facts

and fair and objective in assessing such. In both respects we try to live up to that

obligation.—ED.

*** The Truth That Leads to Eternal Life

chap. 2 p.13 par.5 Why It Is Wise to Examine Your Religion***

5 We need to examine, not only what we personally believe, but also what is taught

by any religious organization with which we may be associated. Are its teachings in

full harmony with God’s Word, or are they based on the traditions of men? If we are

lovers of the truth, there is nothing to fear from such an examination. It should be the

sincere desire of every one of us to learn what God’s will is for us, and then to do it.—John 8:32

18

What the hell is "new light"?

by undercover in

jw
friends

where did the term "new light" come from?

was this ever in print anywhere or just a phrase that was created by followers when trying to describe changes to official doctrine or policy?.

"truth" as "light" cannot change.

bennyk

WT February 1881 r188: page 3 “CAST NOT AWAY THEREFORE YOUR CONFIDENCE” para 1:

If we were following a man undoubtedly it would be different with us; undoubtedly one human idea would contradict another and that which was light one or two or six years ago would be regarded as darkness now: But with God there is no variableness, neither shadow of turning, and so it is with truth; any knowledge or light coming from God must be like its author. A new view of truth never can contradict a former truth. "New light" never extinguishes older "light," but adds to it. If you were lighting up a building containing seven gas jets you would not extinguish one every time you lighted another, but would add one light to another and they would be in harmony and thus give increase of light: So is it with the light of truth; the true increase is by adding to, not by substituting one for another.

76

I think this camel's back is broken (the final straw)

by JimmyPage in

jw
friends

i got home from work last night and guess what happened while i was gone?.

my wife tells me she called the presiding overseer to set up a time for all of us to talk about our premarital no-no's.. "really?

" i asked her.

bennyk

Time to play the "October 1972 Kingdom Ministry card". (Could someone please post the "Question Box" from said publication?)

Your wife needs to explain to the PO that she was previously unaware of the provision that the Society has for Elders who commit DF-worthy offences to remain as Elders if they successfully conceal such sins for three years (since this implies that God has forgiven them). She can simply explain that because Jehovah never revealed your pre-marital indiscretion, it is clear that you've likewise been forgiven. Thereupon she can feel free to cancel the meeting they've arranged... (It will be helpful for her to hear why the PO feels that doesn't apply to the two of you.)

I wish you the best.

12

Any cowpokes here? Got a calf question...(gross - ladies don't look)

by ataloa in

jw
friends

i just got back from helping to put out some hay, which i've done for three years and i just saw something i've never seen before.

a cow had to go #1 and her young calf stuck his face into it midstream and got a drink.

now, i thought i'd see him shake his head and spit and sputter, but instead he went back for seconds.. anyway, just wanted to know if this was common cow behavior?.

bennyk

A sexually mature buck (male GOAT) makes himself attractive to the does by urinating on his own forelegs and beard.

A doe entices the buck by squatting and urinating in front of him. The buck then tongues the stream of urine...

9

the latest change in the "generation" doctrine

by No Apologies in

ok i have not been keeping up-to-date on recent "new light" as some of you.

apparently the new definition of "this generation" that came out in the the 90s, 1995-1997?

has been replaced?.

bennyk

Additional info here: http://www.jehovahs-witness.net/watchtower/bible/143844/1/Teachings-re-this-generation-Matt-24-34-bzw-Luk-21-32

31

Police Get The Wrong House In Galveston, Assault 12-Year old girl

by Elsewhere in

jw
friends

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2008/12/galveston_false_arrest.php.

police get the wrong house in galveston, allegedly assault 12-year-old girlwed dec 17, 2008 at 12:37:01 pmit was a little before 8 at night when the breaker went out at emily milburn's home in galveston.

she was busy preparing her children for school the next day, so she asked her 12-year-old daughter, dymond, to pop outside and turn the switch back on.. .

bennyk

Disclaimer: Of course, I am not privy to all the details (real or imagined) of this story.

From what I read, what concerns me less is the fact that the police (apparently) made a foolish mistake; what concerns me more is that they (apparently) conspired to file false police reports to conceal a felon(-y/-ies) -- the one(s) they committed.

80

Doctrinal ramifications of large increase in 2008 memorial partakers?

by yadda yadda 2 in

the nearly 10% increase in partakers at the memorial in the 2008 annual service report is a huge increase.

there were increases in the previous years too.. this massive increase is no doubt attributeable to the 'new light' this year that the calling of the 'heavenly class' was not closed in 1935, as previously taught.

the new understanding this year is that the calling of the 'anointed' class is 'evidently' still open.

bennyk

yadda yadda writes:

Raymond Franz pointed out very well that there is practically no difference in how the 144k and great crowd are presented and described in Revelation, however, this does not necessarily mean the GC are a heavenly class..

The naos itself is specifically stated to be in Heaven in Rev. 11:19; 14:17; and 15:5.

The "Great Crowd" is in the naos (en to nao) according to Rev. 7:15.

Ergo, the "Great Crowd" serves in Heaven.

64

2008 Annual Report on web

by Dogpatch in

jw
friends

someone just sent me a link to the 2008 annual report.. haven't read it yet.

randy .

http://www.4shared.com/file/75568905/6c852737/2008_annual_report.html.

bennyk

So let me see if I understand this correctly.

The average number of publishers increased 2.1%.

The number of acknowledged partakers increased 9.677% [!]

"The little one himself will become a thousand, and the small one a mighty nation. I myself, Jehovah, shall speed it up in its own time."

25

COMMENTS YOU WILL NOT HEAR AT THE WT STUDY Nov, 24-20, 2008

by Mary in

i told blondie i'd do the comments this week to help give her a bit of a break.

this week's study is all about resisting the spirit of the world.

this is nothing new really-----they've been preaching this for decades, but it still unbelievable how hypocritical they can be......... the study article is in black, my comments are in blue and unless otherwise noted, all scriptures are from the nwt.. .

bennyk

Mary comments:

And notice how they tie in "apostate speech" and put it on the same playing field as "spiritism", "drunkenness" and "adultery"? And as "proof", they off the two Ol’ Faithfuls: Hymenaeus and Philetus who had "....deviated from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already occurred...".

More "proof positive" that the WatchTower Society can't see beyond the end of their nose.

W 01. April 1986 QfR:

Do we have Scriptural precedent for taking such a strict position? Indeed we do! Paul wrote about some in his day: "Their word will spread like gangrene. Hymenaeus and Philetus are of that number. These very men have deviated from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already occurred; and they are subverting the faith of some." (2 Timothy 2:17, 18; see also Matthew 18:6.) There is nothing to indicate that these men did not believe in God, in the Bible, in Jesus’ sacrifice. Yet, on this one basic point, what they were teaching as to the time of the resurrection, Paul rightly branded them as apostates, with whom faithful Christians would not fellowship.

This is most fascinating. When the F&DS was supposedly appointed in 1919, the Watch Tower Society was still teaching that the Resurrection had begun in 1878 -- a teaching not altered until 1927 -- and which teaching the WTS then rejected as false in favour of the "new light" teaching that the resurrection had begun in 1918. (Currently, the 1918 date is viewed only as "an interesting possibility" [W 01. Jan. 2007, p.28])

According to its own published standard, the Watch Tower Society in 1919 would be 'rightly branded apostate, with whom faithful Christians would not fellowship'...

42

They "Keep Following the Lamb" - February Study Article (Praise for the GB)

by Ultimate Reality in

the article is not yet in print, however on jw.org you will find the audio recording for the february 15, 2009 study edition.. this article sums up some of the talks given over the past year or so.

it makes clear that we should trust the faithful and discreet slave because jehovah and jesus trust the "slave".

the slave has been faithfully providing spiritual food for 130 years.

bennyk

As individual Christians, how do we view the timely spiritual food that the faithful slave dispenses by means of bible-based publications and through Christian gatherings?

I view it as so much rubbish. What the deuce is "timely" about the pabulum they spew? http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/12/118225/1.ashx