jaffacake

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Posts by jaffacake

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  5

  My daughters didn't invite me to the Memorial

  by MsMcDucket in

  1. jw
  2. friends

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  i'm considered a full-blown apostate now!

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  jaffacake

  Hi folks,

  I didn't get an invite to the memorial this year, last year was my first and I would have gone this year if invited. I did think I would have been invited. I have asked my JW friend repeatedly for a Bible study with him and his wife, but he never responds. Why are they so afraid of me and my questions?
  Last summer, my Bible study with the PO seemed to be going well for two months, until I asked one particular question. Caught off guard, he answered me honestly, but things were not the same after that. He was 30 minutes late for my next study, and the one after that he just gave me loads of literature to read - I was being politely dumped, for asking a question.
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  68

  What book are you reading now?

  by Dimples in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just stated reading a book called "the lovely bones" by alice sebold.

  i am beginning chapter 3. here is the excerpt from the inside cover:

  when we first meet susie salmon, she is already in heaven.

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  jaffacake

  A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson

  Great stuff!
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  45

  Something significant changed in the WTS in 1984... but what was it???

  by Elsewhere in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  looking at this chart i can't help but notice that pre-1984 the growth statistics were extremely erratic.

  then, all of the sudden in 1984 the growth statistics calmed down and have ever since fallowed a much more stable trend.

  it's almost a straight line after 1984.. so what happened?

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  jaffacake

  In 1985, they started using the new baptismal vows

  This was the first thing I thought of, but although it was a major change (removing the Holy Spirit, contrary to scripture) I'd be surprised if many JWs actually noticed it.
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  4

  religion... science...atheism...religion

  by jaffacake in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  someone on a recent thread observed that jwism seems to be a route to atheism.

  but many other religions fail people too after which atheism appears to be the most plausible answer.

  driving to work last week i heard thought for the day on my car radio, which made a link between religion & atheism.

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  jaffacake

  Someone on a recent thread observed that JWism seems to be a route to atheism. I think it can be. But many other religions fail people too after which atheism appears to be the most plausible answer. Driving to work last week I heard Thought for the Day on my car radio, which made a link between religion & atheism. Here is an exerp from the Radio 4 website: Chief Rabbi Dr Jonathan Sacks …..The growth of science in the seventeenth century came about after a long period of religious wars throughout That was why the Royal Society was formed in 1660…. so that people could be "directed by the great schoolmistress of reason - experience." Francis Bacon, another key figure in the rise of science, said that the cause of atheism was "divisions in religion, if they be many". became secular not because people lost faith in God, but because they lost faith in the ability of people of God to live peaceably with one another. Today the world is moving in the opposite direction - not because we've lost faith in science, but because science for good reasons of its own doesn't answer our deepest questions: Who are we? Why are we here? By what standards shall we live? But the return to religious or ethnic identities carries with it all the dangers it had in the 17th century: conflict, anger, the clash of worldviews, a loss of faith in the political process, and a turn instead to direct action and violence. The seventeenth century was a dangerous time to live, and so, thus far, is the twenty-first. The liberal democratic state emerged only after devastating religious conflict, and a new social contract whereby each citizen renounced violence in favour of the state, which was charged with protecting us from violence. The religious name for such a contract is covenant; and that is what we must now renew. Society is the home we build together - and if violence wins, we will lose freedom itself: so hard to build, so easy to destroy.

  copyright 2006 BBC
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  20

  What 'Brokeback Mountain' and JWs have in common

  by Peter123 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the story is beyond excellent.

  every line is so well crafted and the story, published in the new yorker magazine in 1997, is much more than two young men falling in love.

  one of the major themes of the movie is fear.

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  jaffacake

  Welcome Peter,

  Your post, and the mention of 'fear' reminded me of thread about that film.

  The choice of words used were something like 'homophobic and proud of it'. I may be wrong but I thought phobia's were irrational fears. Seems odd that someone might be proud of being irrational.
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  22

  Explaining to JWs they are not a superior lot

  by greendawn in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  how would you explain to them that they are not really better than the rest of society and that their religion is not superior to serious christian religions?

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  that their superiority complex is based on a lot of hot air in their leaders' heads.

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  jaffacake

  You could present them with a long list of references (all from their own publications during the past 120 years, and all of which they should look up themselves) to prove that the so called 'FDS' are among the most incompetent interpreters of scripure that this world has seen in two millennia.

  Has any other religion been proved so wrong so many times about so many scriptures and doctrines? I challenge anyone to name another religion with a worse verifiable track record.
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  37

  How will it be after the WTBTS will have fallen ?

  by Genesis in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i sometimes imagine that the wt is destroyed (mental masturbation yeah) and all the people left without hope, sanity and joy.

  this will be terrible in itself, if the wt falls suddently i fear a mass suicide.i recall myself thinking that id would rather die that not be in "the truth".

  it will be a terrible shock for everybody.

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  jaffacake

  In the unlikely scenario of a sudden end to the Watchtower, some of its members might fall into any one of hundreds of similar religions or cults. Others might form one or more splinter or offshoot groups.

  After all, JWs are offshoots of bible students, people's pulpit association, adventists, liberal 19th century protestant Christian groups, christadelphians, arians etc etc.

  The wholly inappropriate name for Christians 'Jehovah's Witnesses' was part of the rebranding of the business by Rutherford in the 1930s. Almost all of Rutherford's early beliefs are now considered 'apostate' so why not also reject the JW name he chose.

  The name 'Watchtower' is even older and was set up to worship Jesus Christ. Btw when did JWs officially stop worshipping Christ. I thought it was soon after 1945, but someone on another thread suggested Christ was officially worshipped until 1959?
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  34

  What Awe's You?

  by Golf in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what in particular stands out in your life?

  what awe's you?

  golf

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  jaffacake

  Katie

  This is beautiful -

  When my daughter cracks a funny joke, or writes a poem that rhymes, or draws a picture that looks like something I can recognise (shes 8)

  My daughter is 12, but looks 8 - she's tiny
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  34

  OK, I't My Turn As The Newbie

  by BlackPearl in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i'm not sure where to start, probably in two major areas.

  mechanics thing, that can't work, and what i see as the lack of true love in the brotherhood.

  i've been in "the truth" or lack thereof, for about 30 years, give or take a little.

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  jaffacake

  Hello blackpearl,

  I wish I could express myself so well. A warm welcome to you and its good to see someone else move forward with their lives.

  You seem to have recognised how hard it is to be a Christian within such an organisation, that lost its way somewhere, somehow, a long time ago, but tries to censor anything approaching true Christian values.

  Your progressive outlook on life and lack of bitterness reminds me of how moved I was when I first read Raymond Franz' book In Search of Christian Freedom, one of the greatest books I've ever read - and I'm not even a former JW!

  http://www.commentarypress.com/booklist-eng.html
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  34

  What Awe's You?

  by Golf in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  what in particular stands out in your life?

  what awe's you?

  golf

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  jaffacake

  The universe, outer and inner space, the frontiers of science, the fact of life, nature.