jaffacake

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Posts by jaffacake

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  32

  thinking of having a bible study

  by Ellie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what do you think would happen if someone where to have a bible study with the sole purpose of asking lots of awkward questions just to get the reaction of the witnesses?

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  jaffacake

  JW Ben

  I forgot to mention, it is not possible to prove anything from the Bible. To do that all would have to agree on which parts are literal, symbolic etc.

  But what can be proved is that JWs are one of the few religions in the world who have every single prediction wrong (in the name of the prophet). A zero success rate. This is the nearest we can get to proof to Watchtower interpretation of Scriptures (any vesion inc Hebrew & Greek) Except of course the invisible ones that no one can prove. Do you really want to use the word proof my friend?
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  32

  thinking of having a bible study

  by Ellie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what do you think would happen if someone where to have a bible study with the sole purpose of asking lots of awkward questions just to get the reaction of the witnesses?

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  jaffacake

  JW Ben

  A challenge for you then my friend. My choice is the Kingdom Interlinear, ideally both 1969 and 1985, specifically the Christian Greek scriptures, together with your NWT reference edition.

  Do you accept as I do what was published in Awake magazine since God inspired the original writings, it is logical that he would oversee a faithful transmittal of his Word down to our present day. Do you accept, as I do, that reliable ancient manuscripts confirming every word of the Christian Greek scriptures still exist? And it is just a matter of careful study to establish which ones most accurately reflect the words originally written by the inspired authors? There are more than 5,000 ancient Greek manuscripts to choose from.

  For every one of the 237 J-reference in the New Testament (NWT), let us personally check the reference edition and check the source in each and every case. When we have done this, let us discuss whether it is the Kingdom Interlinear or the NWT that accurately transmit the actual words of the inspired authors, based on their sources. In other words which versions of the Greek scriptures do you accept as inspired, unless you wish to argue that no inspired scriptures have survived, in which case we cannot be sure of anything in the New Testament.
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  30

  Incredible conversation with JW from WT headquarters

  by tagurit in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hey has anyone seen this website that has a recording of a jw researcher from watchtower headquarters that calls this baptist pastor?

  the baptist pastor records the conversation.

  it's really good.

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  jaffacake

  A WARM WELCOME tag
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  21

  Is age an excuse to hold back?

  by stopthepain in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  .

  a few times me and my family have had it out about the cult,and my parents{especially my mom}who are now 50,get all craxzy sometimes.she almost acts like she's physically sick,or haveing a heart attack or something when things get heated.now i understand sheis emotional to begin with,thats what got her into this crap .but is all these factors a reason to hold back feelings?i often find myself tip-toeing around how i talk to her.i feel the fanatic state they kept thier kids(especially us o0lder 3 of 5}really had detrimental effects on us.it's not so much of what they believed,but how they held us kids back from normal growth.i don't want to make her feel terrible,but sometimes it's hard not to say things.she still clings to her meeting on sunday,and basic principlkes of the bible,but i at times feel betrayed because of her cntinuing to support that reloigion.i guess you just have to take it as comes.has this happened to anyone else?sometimes i care,sometimes i don't.i want my parents to know exactly how wrong the way they raised me was.i guess it was worse because i was so trusting.at a few times in my life,i actually beli9eved.when the rug got pulled out for me,i was left emotionally scarred.it is very difficult for me to forgive and forget.it's just the more you think about how ridicoulous there way of raising children was,the more angry i get.. its my little brothers 21 birthday tonight,and we are all going out to eat and have a few drinks{but it's not a birthday party}.i couldn't do crap in all my childhood.they taught me to hate.they used warped scare tactics on young children.they held me back socially in everyway.they caused,thru that cult,soooooo much pain,that still lingers today.will i ever truly forgive and forget,i dont think so,but thier age may spare them my full disdain.its a fine line i tread with my parents,one between love and hate.. should age matter when it comes to confronting people on this subject,one that runs deep for many of us children of the watchtowers 1980's /early 90's pinnacle of fanatisism?stp

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  jaffacake

  I was brought into a different cult by my mother. Neither of us are in anything now, but she still believes some of the stuff but is very confused, in her seventies now.

  My sister is bitter and finds it hard to forgive, however, I forgive totally. I figure my mother didnt decide one day to bring me up in a religion that would do me harm. She was more a victim tham me, still is. She believed the way we were brought up was the best for us all, every parent wants to do the best for us. If my mother had died before I had forgiven her I would have been more deeply hurt for the rest of my life. Forgiveness is healing, but it may take time.

  I think BluesBrother gave good advice, dont accept what she says, but prove your point with kindness and hard evidence?
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  11

  Earthquake statistics?

  by ringo5 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  has there ever been any so-called evidence brought forth by the wtbs that there has been an increase in earthquakes since 1914??

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  inquiring minds would like to know..

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  jaffacake

  Nice one Carla. btw I was thinking of getting that book, is it good? Any chance of a brief outline of what its about?
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  17

  ESP Proof?

  by skyman in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  yesterday i read all the posts under the thead "i need some skeptic input... dreams that come true' by googlemagoogle.

  i could not help but see that some people were very opinionated one way or the other.

  most just felt it was true because they had a dream or know some one who has.

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  jaffacake

  But Dr Penrose is not very happy with a mystical free-for-all.He locates his quantum effects firmly within the brain.
  "I am very cautious about the quantum - psychic connection.It is entertaining speculation but that's all. Quantum mechanics has very specific rules.For instance,complex numbers are central to the theory but people who construct quantum-based mystical metaphors ignore them because they don't fit."
  "I think there is strong evidence for precognition but I haven't done the maths yet to work out what else is allowed," he says.

  A quote from your link. I have an open mind, albeit a sceptical one. But frankly to me this falls short of being 'proof' of anything. Interesting stuff though.
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  17

  ESP Proof?

  by skyman in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  yesterday i read all the posts under the thead "i need some skeptic input... dreams that come true' by googlemagoogle.

  i could not help but see that some people were very opinionated one way or the other.

  most just felt it was true because they had a dream or know some one who has.

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  jaffacake

  One of the problems I see with the scientific community is the in ablility to dream, and hope and wonder.

  Isn't this a contradiction with the gist of your post? If scientists did not dream, hope and wonder, they would still be working within Newtonian physics. All the developments you mentioned confirm that scientists are some of the few people on this planet who do dream, hope and wonder.
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  32

  thinking of having a bible study

  by Ellie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what do you think would happen if someone where to have a bible study with the sole purpose of asking lots of awkward questions just to get the reaction of the witnesses?

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  2. 
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  jaffacake

  Go for it. That is exactly what I am doing right now. I will keep it going for as long as possible.

  My advice, keep it polite and don't score points at every opportunity, but when you've got them on the ropes back off. Don't spring surprises on them. Make your own notes as you go along. When they quote a text, ask them if they mind if you jot it down so you can study the context and come back with questions on it the following week.

  Ask in advance if you can look up what they say in watchtowers, and innocently point out contradictions with that sincere, but puzzled & concerned look on your face.

  Have you got the official material that exposes the knowledge book, trinity booklets etc page by page. Its different for me because I've never been a JW. Please keep us posted - you never know, you may plant seeds even if they don't show it at the time. It may take months or years to flower, you never know what secret doubts they already harbour.
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  35

  newbie and need help.

  by jamesd2004 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  hey ya everybody im new here just saying hi good to be here.. and i need some help if thats ok. i have been studying for about a year and know its the truth etc...but im not babtised.

  but want to be...i need some help about family issues.... i wasent brought up in the truth and neither were/and are my mum and dad.

  i know i shouldnt do this but i am.

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  jaffacake

  James

  I think Raymond Franz, who set up the Governing Body in its present form, said it best in the intro of his wonderful book Crisis of Conscience:

  He first quotes the Watchtower of January 15, 1974: When persons are in great dangr from a source that they do not suspect or are being misled by those they consider their friends, is it an unkindness to warn them? They may prefer not to believe the warning. They may even resent it. But does that free one from the moral responsibility to give that warning?

  He then goes on to write from the heart:

  Life is uncertain and when he dies what he knows dies along with him - unless he passes it on while still in life. What this book contains is written out of a sense of obligation to people whom I sincerely love. In all good conscience I can say that its aim is to help and not to hurt. If some of what is presented is painful to read, it was also painful to write. It is hoped that the reader will recognise that the search for truth need never be destructive of faith, that every effort to know and uphold truth will. instead, strengthen the basis for true faith. What those reading this information will do with it is, of course, their own decision. At least it will have been said, and a moral obligation will have been met.
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  67

  Do you ever think that you will stop JW-bashing and get on with your life?

  by booker-t in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was recently talking to a girl in my psychology class who told me that she use to be a jw and was df'd in the mid 1990's.

  this girl shocked me because usually ex-jws are so unhappy and miserable and spend most of their time complaining about the "evil" wt society.

  she told me that when she was df'd alot of ex-jws swarmed towards her trying to get her to "bash" the wt but she refused.

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  jaffacake

  I think Raymond Franz said it best in the intro of Crisis of Conscience:

  He first quotes the Watchtower of January 15, 1974: When persons are in great dangr from a source that they do not suspect or are being misled by those they consider their friends, is it an unkindness to warn them? They may prefer not to believe the warning. They may even resent it. But does that free one from the moral responsibility to give that warning?

  He then goes on to write from the heart:

  Life is uncertain and when he dies what he knows dies along with him - unless he passes it on while still in life. What this book contains is written out of a sense of obligation to people whom I sincerely love. In all good conscience I can say that its aim is to help and not to hurt. If some of what is presented is painful to read, it was also painful to write. It is hoped that the reader will recognise that the search for truth need never be destructive of faith, that every effort to know and uphold truth will. instead, strengthen the basis for true faith. What those reading this information will do with it is, of course, their own decision. At least it will hav been said, and a moral obligation will have been met.