This so called Christian religion is disguised as something good, but is in fact based on superstition, hatred and fear. Also on very conditional love. I have emailed you. I am sure you will make a wise and informed choice. Please be careful.
jaffacake
JoinedPosts by jaffacake
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15
Curious about beliefs ...Looking for friends
by KeeganAKat inhi,i'm simon,i'm 23 years old and reside in nc.anyways,i'm very new to all of this.basically what happened was at work one day a jw came in and handed me a copy of watchtower and awake!
magazines.i've just contacted the watchtower for the home bible study..right now my g/f and i are looking for a church and have been checking out many denominations.any information anyone could send me about your organization would be greatly appreciated.i'd also love to converse with anyone online (feel free to im me...my sn is [email protected]) thanx!
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PBS special " Knocking " info.
by Tigerman injust checked my e-mail and found info from the folks who are putting out the " knocking," pbs special sometime in early 2006.
( i signed up to be kept informed.
) if you are not acquainted with this film project go to www.knocking.org.
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jaffacake
Please, will someone who has influence with these guys persuade them to read Crisis of Conscience as part of their research.
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Philosophy - is it worth the bother?
by Abaddon ini fully admit to only having dabbled in the waters of philosophy up to now.
i kept on being put off by the smell... .
having said that, is there anyone more clued up than me about the subject who can tell me anything that might make me change my mind?.
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jaffacake
Having just touched on it briefly, recently, I think anything that makes you consider different ways of thinking, and many viewpoints, must be a positive thing. Lets face it, no one philosopher is correct. I don't think anyone who studies philosophy could become a JW for example (I bet someone proves me wrong on this) Some aspects of science have taken over where philosophy started to run out of explanations, especially in the last 20 years or so.
For me, dipping my toe is enough, however.
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The end of the world, but HOW?
by DannyBloem inwhich of those 20 posibbilies does seem the most logical for the end of the world?
natural disasters
1. asteroid impact.
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jaffacake
My money's on 15 perhaps triggered by some human-triggered factors like global warning. Any serious environmental changes would cause tensions and instability, and in this age of WMD....
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Converting
by xjustxanotherxstarx inhey, my friends is a jehovah's witness, and his parents are strict about who he can and cannot see, we are very close, and i wish we could see more of each other!
i know we would be allowed to if i was his religion!
how could i convert and what would i have to do, and how long would it take?
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jaffacake
Please beware, I cannot stress this enough. Please be sure to spend much time on this and other websites finding out the facts before you agree to any further involvement. Your future happiness is in great danger. There are a few books you must read, then you can make up your own mind, armed wth all the facts. Friends on this site can offer advice.
By the way, where are my manners, A Warm Welcome.
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How many of you want to be resurrected? (I am not judging here! Just a Q!)
by inquirer inthis is in no way meant to judge people, but sometimes i think about this issue a lot.
i think about famoust people and think "hmmm, will tom cruise be there in paradise?
arnold schartzenegger?
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jaffacake
I think it is likely we all have a wrong view of what ressurection would mean, if it is really possible. The Bible actually indicates at least two states after death, prior to resurrection - which probably only happens when not just the earth, but possibly the this particular universe ends. The 2 temporay states, paradise and hades.
(examples Lazarus & the penitent thief)
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Contradiction and Confutation a Topic.
by Blueblades inwhen you read other topics on here, do you feel that you have to condradict and confute the person or the subject matter or both, the person and the subject matter?
or, do you kindly direct a misinformed person to the right thinking on the topic posted by such person?
do you just believe and take for granted what a popular poster may write for their topic, or do you still weigh and consider no matter who it is that writes a topic for us to read?
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jaffacake
direct a misinformed person to the right thinking
Ouch, such a JW term. Everyones opinion is equally valid IMHO, and even if it is not, that's cool!
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I was wrong, CT Russell was something of a prophet after all...
by jaffacake ini am reading studies in the scriptures (1911) thy kingdom come..on page 145 ct russell describes what is wrong with religions of his day and their sunday schools & bible studies, ie people belong to earthly religions or organisations.
was he describing other sects of his day, or did he forsee what his bible students would eventually become?
methods hinder real growth in knowledge of truth...guarded, pointed questions, with prepared answers and no time left for the bible hungry student...bible study, skilfully directed, so that he may get no new ideas...brief sessions [one hour] more agreeable than bible study...they are led to feel they have performed a duty, and a sacrifice.
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jaffacake
Here's more, from The Harp of God (proof conclusive that millions now living will never die) by Joseph Rutherford, 1921 (5 years after Russell's death)page 237 Jesus said that an office had been provided for such a special messenger....at the time of his second appearing he would appoint some one to that office....responsibility of dispensing meat to the household of faith in due season.....We mark a wonderful fulfillment of this statement of the Lord as further corrobative proof of the Lord's second presence from 1874 forward. [quotes Matthew 24:45-47]
About 1870 Cgarles Taze Russell...a truly consecrated Christian....[page 288] he published in six volumes THE STUDIES IN THE SCRIPTURES...circulation exceeded 11,000,000 copies....[page 239] Without a doubt Pastor Russell filled the office for which the Lord provided and about which he spoke, and was therefore that wise and faithful servant, ministering to the household of faith meat in due season.
page 240 This [harvest] work, which has covered a period of about 45 years, has never had for its purpose the forming of any arrangement by which Christians join anything. Its purpose and work has been and is to enlighten men and women concerning the great divine plan, and by this means of proclaiming the message of truth has gathered together Catholics and Protestants, Christians of all denominations in all parts of the earth......Hence we find gathering together many earnest Christian people...who know no nationality, whose citizenship is in heaven...
page 248 In the year 1919 many of the Bible students...went forth to proclaim the message of the presence of the Lord; and particularly the message "The world has ended - millions now living will never die"
page 250 Suppose we admit, for the sake of argument, that no man knows the day or the hour of the Lord's appearing. What difference does that make? The hour and the day have already passed. He is here!
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I was wrong, CT Russell was something of a prophet after all...
by jaffacake ini am reading studies in the scriptures (1911) thy kingdom come..on page 145 ct russell describes what is wrong with religions of his day and their sunday schools & bible studies, ie people belong to earthly religions or organisations.
was he describing other sects of his day, or did he forsee what his bible students would eventually become?
methods hinder real growth in knowledge of truth...guarded, pointed questions, with prepared answers and no time left for the bible hungry student...bible study, skilfully directed, so that he may get no new ideas...brief sessions [one hour] more agreeable than bible study...they are led to feel they have performed a duty, and a sacrifice.
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jaffacake
Thanks Nathan, Here is more of the same chapter from that site:
Lessons only appear to be unsectarian: they only appear to grant liberty in Bible study. Really, each denomination prepares its own comments on the scriptures contained in the lessons. And the committee which selects these lessons, aiming for the outward appearance of harmony and union, selects such passages of scripture as there is little difference of opinion upon. The passages and doctrines upon which they disagree, the very ones which need most to be discussed, in order that the truths and errors of each sect may be manifested, that a real union might be arrived at upon the basis of "one Lord, one faith and one baptism"--these are ignored in the lessons, but still firmly held as before by each sect.
…. methods is to make Protestantism more imposing in appearance, and to say to the people in fact, if not in words: You must join one of these sects , or you are not a child of God at all. Really, it is not a union as one church, but a combination of separate and distinct organizations, each as anxious as ever to retain its own organization as a sect or bundle…It is like the piling of sheaves together in a shock. Each sheaf retains its own bondage or organization, and becomes bound yet more …tightly …
…modern methods of "running" Sunday Schools, greatly aids sectarianism, and hinders real growth in the knowledge of the truth, in yet another way. So general a lesson is presented in connection with the "exercises" of the school, that there is scarcely time to consider the guarded, printed questions, with prepared answers; and no time is left for the truth-hungry Bible student, or the occasional earnest teacher, to bring out other questions of greater importance, containing food for thought and profitable discussion. Formerly, Bible classes met to study such portions of the Bible as they chose, and were hindered from obtaining truth by the bondage of their own prejudice and superstition only, ...
His time for Bible study is skillfully directed, so that he may get no new ideas …
While Sunday School methods have recently been considerably improved, … Some good is accomplished, we admit, but it has its offsets. The earnest are hindered from personal duty and progress…The immature find the brief session and "exercises" more agreeable than Bible study. They are let to feel that they have performed a duty; and the sacrifice of the few moments is repaid by the social gossip and interchange which it affords .
The true teacher's place, and the true Bible student's place, is outside of all human bondage, free to examine and feed upon all portions of the good Word of God, and untrammeled to follow the Lamb whithersoever he leads. `John 8:36`; `Gal. 5:1`
While individual liberty must outwardly be recognized as never before, we see that really there never was a time when the bands were so thoroughly drawn, to bind all wheat and tares into the many bundles. There never was a time when arrangements were so close, and so restraining of all personal liberties, as now. Every spare hour of a zealous sectarian is filled by some of the many meetings or projects, so that no time for untrammeled thought and Bible study can be had. The principal design of these meetings, entertainments, etc., is sectarian growth and strength; and the effect is the bondage mentioned, so detrimental to the real development of the consecrated children of God, the wheat.
Lessons only appear to be unsectarian: they only appear to grant liberty in Bible study. Really, each denomination prepares its own comments on the scriptures contained in the lessons. And the committee which selects these lessons, aiming for the outward appearance of harmony and union, selects such passages of scripture as there is little difference of opinion upon. The passages and doctrines upon which they disagree, the very ones which need most to be discussed, in order that the truths and errors of each sect may be manifested, that a real union might be arrived at upon the basis of "one Lord, one faith and one baptism"--these are ignored in the lessons, but still firmly held as before by each sect.
…. methods is to make Protestantism more imposing in appearance, and to say to the people in fact, if not in words: You must join one of these sects , or you are not a child of God at all. Really, it is not a union as one church, but a combination of separate and distinct organizations, each as anxious as ever to retain its own organization as a sect or bundle…It is like the piling of sheaves together in a shock. Each sheaf retains its own bondage or organization, and becomes bound yet more …tightly …
…modern methods of "running" Sunday Schools, greatly aids sectarianism, and hinders real growth in the knowledge of the truth, in yet another way. So general a lesson is presented in connection with the "exercises" of the school, that there is scarcely time to consider the guarded, printed questions, with prepared answers; and no time is left for the truth-hungry Bible student, or the occasional earnest teacher, to bring out other questions of greater importance, containing food for thought and profitable discussion. Formerly, Bible classes met to study such portions of the Bible as they chose, and were hindered from obtaining truth by the bondage of their own prejudice and superstition only, ...
His time for Bible study is skillfully directed, so that he may get no new ideas …
While Sunday School methods have recently been considerably improved, … Some good is accomplished, we admit, but it has its offsets. The earnest are hindered from personal duty and progress…The immature find the brief session and "exercises" more agreeable than Bible study. They are let to feel that they have performed a duty; and the sacrifice of the few moments is repaid by the social gossip and interchange which it affords .
The true teacher's place, and the true Bible student's place, is outside of all human bondage, free to examine and feed upon all portions of the good Word of God, and untrammeled to follow the Lamb whithersoever he leads. `John 8:36`; `Gal. 5:1`
While individual liberty must outwardly be recognized as never before, we see that really there never was a time when the bands were so thoroughly drawn, to bind all wheat and tares into the many bundles. There never was a time when arrangements were so close, and so restraining of all personal liberties, as now. Every spare hour of a zealous sectarian is filled by some of the many meetings or projects, so that no time for untrammeled thought and Bible study can be had. The principal design of these meetings, entertainments, etc., is sectarian growth and strength; and the effect is the bondage mentioned, so detrimental to the real development of the consecrated children of God, the wheat.
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I was wrong, CT Russell was something of a prophet after all...
by jaffacake ini am reading studies in the scriptures (1911) thy kingdom come..on page 145 ct russell describes what is wrong with religions of his day and their sunday schools & bible studies, ie people belong to earthly religions or organisations.
was he describing other sects of his day, or did he forsee what his bible students would eventually become?
methods hinder real growth in knowledge of truth...guarded, pointed questions, with prepared answers and no time left for the bible hungry student...bible study, skilfully directed, so that he may get no new ideas...brief sessions [one hour] more agreeable than bible study...they are led to feel they have performed a duty, and a sacrifice.
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jaffacake
Yah Russell was also a drunk from what I've heard . They were so embarassed by him they retired him to california to live in beth sarim where they had built a mansion to welcome the old prophets back after the resurrection . LOL
Actually, that was Rutherford. Russell was teetotal and vegetarian. He did however have a beard.
I'll scan some interesting pages when I get time.