besty

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Posts by besty

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  17

  Baptism numbers down. Is this a worldwide trend?

  by R.F. in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i just found out that from the dc i was assigned to that 17 got baptized this year.

  this was great news to me.. that is a huge decline from previous years, with the average each year being about 50-55 at the dcs.

  i've noticed at the cas and sads the baptism numbers have decreased steadily over the years.

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  besty

  Wow - are they even disfellowshipping pies now??
  
  Disgusting. A pie is an honorable life choice.
• 
  42

  Wife and kids left me

  by thepackage in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  long story short, (i'll post it later), after many years of problems with the wts my wife and kids left me and she has filed for divorce (no adultery was committed).

  feeling really sad right now.

  i was a great husband and father, however, i could not take the thought of going to any more meetings and have over the last year started to find was to avoid meetings.

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  besty

  I have no idea how you must feel but there are plenty people here who will give you the time and space to share your feelings.
  
  ((((((((((((((hugs))))))))))))))
  
  Besty
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  19

  Our PO enlightens me on what our congregation's problem is...

  by sir82 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  ...we have a bunch of "whiners"!.

  "why aren't i on the list to read the watchtower?

  " "why haven't i been appointed as an elder yet?

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  besty

  in my experience people tend to complain when they are not appreciated and personally demotivated.
  
  Perhaps a change of perspective (ie get the fook out of there) might help.
• 
  73

  When DID the Jews return?

  by Doug Mason in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  the wts says that the key date in the jews return from babylon is tishri 1 537 bce.. the wts uses that date to arrive at its incorrect date of 607 bce for the destruction of jerusalem.

  in turn, its 607 bce date is used to provide the date of october 1914 ce for christs parousia and the setting up of gods kingdom government.

  the wts claims to be the sole representative upon earth of gods kingdom.. the date of the jews return is thus crucial to the watchtower societys (wts) existence and authority.

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  besty

  scholar I have read many of your posts and I think perhaps alcohol plays a major part in your life ;-) yes?
  
  anyway http://www.amazon.com/Gentile-Times-Reconsidered-Chronology-Christs/dp/0914675060
  
  let us all know when you have a book in print and we can take your views from there.
  
  otherwise - just one more for the road....
  
  take care
  
  besty
• 
  9

  If they have a 'Good Heart' Jehovah will assure they get the 'Troof'

  by AK - Jeff in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  i can't recall how many times i heard this tripe as a jw, especially following a sincere question regarding how people in china or india would have the same chance to hear it as those in the us.. i often wondered how god would account things at armageddon - would it go something like this?;.

  " now as for you, mitmah and family.

  you have lived your entire lives in the depths of the burmese jungles.

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  besty

  yep my SIL came up with this classic line:
  
  me - "Does it make sense to you that God will destroy six billion men women and children one day, and then resurrect a different six billion men women and children the next day?"
  
  SIL - "Nobody innocent will die at Armagedon."
  
  me - "Yes I can see your point - me bad"
  
  hmmm...
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  23

  Preaching Work is unique identifier

  by besty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  several conversations with current jw's have thrown up this validation of their faith.

  i can think of several lines of refutation: .

  1 - ask 'is increase proof of gods blessing?

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  besty

  Steve2 - straight off their own website http://www.adventist.org/world_church/facts_and_figures/index.html.en

  Pubsinger - call me on my mobile if you have it...
• 
  23

  Preaching Work is unique identifier

  by besty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  several conversations with current jw's have thrown up this validation of their faith.

  i can think of several lines of refutation: .

  1 - ask 'is increase proof of gods blessing?

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  besty

  Several conversations with current JW's have thrown up this validation of their faith.
  
  I can think of several lines of refutation:
  
  1 - Ask 'Is increase proof of Gods blessing?' then answer 'Why have faiths starting at a similar time had better results as measured by numbers of adherents eg Seventh Day Adventists 14.4m members and over 1m baptised in 2005. Mormons 12.2m members etc?'
  
  2 - Develop the argument around the meaning of 'from door to door' as opposed to 'in private homes' as per ISOCF Ray Franz
  
  3 - Ask 'Why are you not allowed to create your own website to share your faith? The internet is recognised as the most powerful means of mass communication ever invented'
  
  Anybody got things that have worked well for them?
  
  Cheers
  
  Besty '
• 
  4

  Moving house and making your Record Cards disappear - can it be done?

  by besty in

  1. forum
  2. announcements

  we might have the opportunity to move away to a different continent soon.

  seems to me a good idea to try and get our record cards out of our local cong.

  and make them disappear.

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  besty

  We might have the opportunity to move away to a different continent soon.
  
  Seems to me a good idea to try and get our Record Cards out of our local cong. and make them disappear.
  
  Any thoughts on how this could be done?
  
  Are there benefits to doing this or am I just drawing undue attention to myself?
• 
  74

  new documentary film about Disfellowshipping - the anti - Knocking

  by RubyParker in

  1. forum
  2. announcements

  my name is ruby parker.

  i am 29 years old.

  i was disfellowshipped when i was 16, i have completed a double major in anthropology and religion studies.

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  besty

  hi Ruby
  
  Great idea and I wish you all the success in the world and for the therapeutic value for yourself and others that will come from this labour of love.
  
  My wife Sweet Pea and I are attempting a Fast Track Fade - FTF! - basically announced we weren't going back - my aim is not to be DA/DF for family reasons, grandchildren access etc - both our parents are Witnesses and the DA/DF label makes life harder than necessary for them and us. It may or may not work out but thats where we're at right now. Its only been about two months so too early to claim success I feel. We have some contact with friends from the KH so we still have to be guarded about what we say to who about why we are not going back...
  
  Anyway you mentioned looking for help with distribution? Through my line of work I have come across a company called Vividas who specialize in getting content straight from the production team to the customer via the Internet. This is done by creating a downloadable file which plays out at near-DVD quality in full screen on any Internet connected computer. They can also create an ecommerce element if you wanted to charge a few bucks to help cover the costs - and they can ship DVD's as well if you wanted to allow people to watch the movie online and also order a DVD for a permanent copy. Anyway drop me a PM if you want more details. Take a look at http://www.thesecret.tv/news_vividas.html to get a feel for what I'm rambling about here.
  
  Best of luck!!
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  19

  1 Tim 3:1-10 promotes an organisation

  by besty in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  speaking with a hardline friend (oxymoron alert) tonight he used the above verse as proof that jehovah needs a hierarchical organization - otherwise why stratify the membership?

  any refutation?

  cheers .

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  besty

  for the avoidance of doubt and to make it easy:
  
  1 Timothy 3:1-10 (New International Version)
  New International Version (NIV)
  
  Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
  [NIV at IBS] [International Bible Society] [NIV at Zondervan] [Zondervan]
  
  1 Timothy 3
  Overseers and Deacons
  1Here is a trustworthy saying: If anyone sets his heart on being an overseer,[a] he desires a noble task. 2Now the overseer must be above reproach, the husband of but one wife, temperate, self-controlled, respectable, hospitable, able to teach, 3not given to drunkenness, not violent but gentle, not quarrelsome, not a lover of money. 4He must manage his own family well and see that his children obey him with proper respect. 5(If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God's church?) 6He must not be a recent convert, or he may become conceited and fall under the same judgment as the devil. 7He must also have a good reputation with outsiders, so that he will not fall into disgrace and into the devil's trap.
  
  8Deacons, likewise, are to be men worthy of respect, sincere, not indulging in much wine, and not pursuing dishonest gain. 9They must keep hold of the deep truths of the faith with a clear conscience. 10They must first be tested; and then if there is nothing against them, let them serve as deacons.