jaffacake

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Posts by jaffacake

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  61

  "Theocratic Warfare" - An Apostate Strategy?

  by slimboyfat in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  who here had ever heard of this so-called 'doctrine' of "theocratic warfare" when you were a jehovah's witness?

  who has not heard of the so-called doctrine now that you are an apostate?

  so why have witnesses never heard of 'doctrine', yet apostates seem to promote it as the last word on witness standards of honesty, integrity and decency?

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  jaffacake

  Insight on the scriptures, Vol 2 (Life, page 245) says:

  While malicious lying is definately condemned in the Bible, this does not mean that a person is under obligation to divulge truthful information to people who are not entitled to it. Jesus Christ counselled: Do not give what is holy to dogs, neither throw your pearls before swine......................Evidently the course of Abraham, Isaac, Rahab and Elisha in misdirecting or in witholding full facts from non-worshipers of Jehovah must be viewed in the same light.

  I suppose this is the misdirection I am experiencing, even though all my questions are to discuss Bible and Watchtower publications, nothing else!

  But they misdirect Jehovah worshipers too, why is that?
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  61

  "Theocratic Warfare" - An Apostate Strategy?

  by slimboyfat in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  who here had ever heard of this so-called 'doctrine' of "theocratic warfare" when you were a jehovah's witness?

  who has not heard of the so-called doctrine now that you are an apostate?

  so why have witnesses never heard of 'doctrine', yet apostates seem to promote it as the last word on witness standards of honesty, integrity and decency?

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  jaffacake

  Hello again slim, Yet again you paint all ex-JWs with the same brush. I am sure some so-called apostates lie, exaggerate, etc, but then they are not the ones claiming to be in 'the truth'.

  Since I started studying with JWs 6 weeks ago, arranged by my JW friend, the elders have deliberately lied to me several times already. They had to, otherwise they would have had to admit to some serious, nay fatal, contradictions. They are lying and changing their story on which elder and from which congregation now has my list of 40 questions I gave them 4 months ago. I gave my questions to my JW friend who gave them to an elder from his congregation. At first I was promised answers, but when I pressed for answers via my JW friend, this elder told my friend he had given them to a named elder at a congregation closer to where I live. The first elder also told me to my face when I attended the memorial that he had given them to a named elder from my local congregation.

  This local congregation elder rang me and I have studied with him for several weeks now. At first he ignored my enquiries about the whereabouts of my typed questions, then a couple of weeks ago he said he had no questions and didnt know what I was talking about. I asked my JW friend to get back to the first elder who had told me and my friend on separate ocasions that he had passed the questions on. This time he admitted having kept them safely in his home. Last week I asked him for them back, so I could give them to the elder I am studying with. Guess what? He cant find them. I am being given the run around and have been lied to at least once. I am talking about POs here! I dont think they are doing a good job of convincing me that they are in 'the truth'.

  Please dont call me an apostate. I had hardly heard of JWs 6 months ago, and have only been studying with them for 6 weeks.

  I still await an answer to even one of my 40 questions. This is all known to my JW friend who was also lied to causing him much embarassment & discomfort. Lets see what the excuse changes to next week for not answering my questions. I only speak as I find. Its a good job I dont believe armageddon is just around the corner - I have waited 4 month already for my 1st question to be answered.
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  25

  Monogamy - true or false?

  by Stephen John Gault in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  recognizing that monogamy was nowhere proscribed in the bible other than "elders should be the husband of one wife" in the same breath as "hospitable" and "able to teach", how do you ex-jw's regard monogamy?

  and is what's good for the goose, good for the gander?

  and are you prepared to tell your partner about your non-monogamous nature and allow her/him the same latitude?

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  jaffacake

  I think many people, including most religions, just dont understand how to interpret what the Bible really teaches. I dont think we are supposed to comply with everything in it, that would be impossible anyway because everything is so contradictory. JWs and others try to solve this puzzle by thinking in terms of which laws are extant and which are not. Wrong thinking!

  Throughout the Bible old ways and old laws are superseded by newer ways. For example in the New Testamant the royal law of love 'fulfills' and 'negates' ALL previous laws. In other words it is no longer so much what we do as the motivation, and whether it can hurt others. Most things are therefore based on cnscience rather than whether there is a rule about it. Dont you think?

  Perhaps we should apply this to the question of monogomy, what is the likely overall impact on the spiritual well being of each other by one policy or another? Pauls letter to Corinthians (Ch 8) gives his view of the motives behind waht might have appeared his advice to keep some aspects of mosaic law.
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  13

  30 years in the Watchtower!

  by Tower Man in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i have a brand new personal testimony from tom mcgovern.

  he was in the society for 30 years.

  hear how changing watchtower doctrines and the lack of love got him out.

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  jaffacake

  Tower Man

  Thank you. I am listening to this right now. I was feeling very low this evening. One of the things getting to me is the barrier to communication with my friend, who refuses to read anything I offer him.

  An audio (mp3 file) may be a new way of getting a message across to him. The guy is an ex DSA (like me) and likes Beatles music (like the guy I am trying to get through to). Thanks for a new opportunity for a new way.
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  15

  holy cow....why did this happen?

  by desbah in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  well last night i went to see that new star war iii flick that everybody is talking about....and when i got back from the late showing..... i noticed my silver chevy 4x4 truck is gone.

  so i went out looking for my truck.....since it was prom nite last night i went checkin at all the local party sites but nada....so i gave up around 4 am...... now i'm stilling here thinking maybe this is some form of punishment from god....or is the devil playing a mean trick on me!!!!!

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  jaffacake

  Im sorry to here of this, I know how you feel!!

  some form of punishment from God....or is the Devil playing a mean trick on me!!!!!!

  This sort of talk is just JW style superstition. You may have a point however if you can prove that nothing bad has ever happened to a JW 'in good standing' !?
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  26

  A logis puzzle, based on a true story

  by stevenyc in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  you're a contestant on a tv game show.

  the host has three boxes, a,b, and c. .

  one of the boxes contains keys to the star prize, a car and the other two are empty .

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  jaffacake

  Lets suppose the prize happens to be in box C. No matter what happens with the maths or the odds, if you stick with C you will win, and if you change to B you lose. I agree with oldsoul that if you have no information about which one of 2 boxes holds the prize, the odds are 50/50.
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  13

  What blessings are you thanking God for at this moment?

  by AK - Jeff in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i often think of how as jw's we missed life now!

  not to say that i will ever suscribe to the 'live it up for tommorrow we might die' ideas - but i sense that i was so busy looking for the new world that i missed the one i was already in - so i am counting the blessings i see every day - and there is so much to be thankful for.

  as i write this my grandson [whom we are raising due to unfortunate situation] is sitting and playing with his toys, smiling, giggling, and loving the sight and touch of new things.

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  jaffacake

  Just now, I am thankful for my two lovely children, and for the daily strength and optimism of my wonderful wife, despite her serious illness. I am thankful that our families know nothing of what we have been through, so they dont have to share our worries. I am thankful that their not having to worry is one thing less for us to worry about.

  I am also thankful for the ongoing support I get from people here in my quest to reveal to my lifelong friends the truth about the truth.
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  149

  Do you hate the religion of Jehovah's Witnesses?

  by logansrun in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  a simple question: do you hate the religion of jehovah's witnesses?

  feel free to elaborate on your answer.. b.

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  jaffacake

  The religion yes, the people no.
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  84

  How did you get over your silly fear of demons?

  by embeth2525 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  even now, i still battle with a silly fear of if something might have demons or not...i know it is silly, really, i do, but i haven't been able to get over it completely yet.

  does anyone have any suggetions for me?

  thanks beth

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  jaffacake

  Since I believe in the scriptures I accept the existence of spirits or angels with the good angels being very good, and the evil angels being very evil and dangerous beings

  But why not consider that the Bible, when read in context, might just uses descriptions such as demons or angels symbolically. Like parables, or a different sort of writing common in ancient times. Could it just be a way of describing good and evil propensities in all of us?
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  6

  Send out a sherpa guide for Seatle Nice Guy

  by mjarka911 in

  1. jw
  2. friends
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  jaffacake

  While waiting for the next installment I ponder about how Bible teaching is consistent with evolution.

  The sinful nature of humankind (described in the Biblical and other creation myths) is what the evolutionary process left us with. We are lustful, aggressive, and hostile to unknown tribes because those qualities enabled us to become the dominant species on the planet. It is natural for us to have those propensities and no blame attaches to us for that.

  Perhaps to create us, the whole process symbolised in the Bible was necessary. For humankind, at a certain stage in the evolutionary process, perhaps we were given a fortaste of what is ultimately possible or even the purpose of eolved huhumanity, although full evolution might be complete Oneness with God. Was Christ the revelation of what is ultimately possible, even perhaps the Creators intervention in the process.

  The process of evolution, and therefore beings which could eventually give rise to consciousness and intellectual thought, could only come from atoms decaying, stars exploding to give the complex element of carbon from hydrogen & helium. The process only takes place because earlier generations die & make way for mutated offspring. Only by competition for scarce resources to 'fit' forms of organic life evolve.

  But at some point in evolution, can humans transcend this through what the Bible teaches about Divine-human unity made possble by a mediator. Could lust be transformed or moderated to loving desire & sensual delight? Could aggression be moderated into courage to face affliction and compete without rancour? Human traits generated by evolutionary competition, transformed into spiritual capacities of love. Doesnt the Bible say God is love, but also that God 'forms the light and creates darkness.

  Is nice guy back yet??