ThomasCovenant

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Posts by ThomasCovenant

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  3

  Storing Blood from Umbilical Cords. BBC News

  by ThomasCovenant in

  1. watchtower
  2. medical

  an interesting article on the bbc news homepage about a scheme to store blood taken from umbilical cords.. .

  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7608655.stm.

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  ThomasCovenant

  An interesting article on the BBC News Homepage about a scheme to store blood taken from umbilical cords.

  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7608655.stm
• 
  3

  BBC Homepage Re End of the World . JW's mentioned

  by ThomasCovenant in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  on the bbc news homepage there is an article about the fascination with the end of the world.. .

  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7600966.stm.

  ''the jehovah's witnesses have issued countless predictions about cataclysmic scenarios that have manifestly failed to come to pass, only ceasing predictions of the end in recent years.

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  ThomasCovenant

  Hi

  On the BBC News homepage there is an article about the fascination with the end of the world.

  http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7600966.stm

  ''The Jehovah's Witnesses have issued countless predictions about cataclysmic scenarios that have manifestly failed to come to pass, only ceasing predictions of the end in recent years. Failed predictions seem not to have alienated core believers.''

  FAILED PREDICTIONS Jehovah's Witnesses have predicted end several times, but have stopped Millerites predicted end of world for 22 October 1844 - day known to followers as Great Disappointment Edgar C Whisenant wrote 88 Reasons Why the Rapture Could Be in 1988 - followed up with predictions for 1989, 1993, and 1994 Argentinian goalie Carlos Roa gave up football in anticipation of end of world in 2000 Hal Lindsey in 1970's The Late, Great Planet Earth linked end of world to the EU Thanks Thomas Covenant
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  5

  Just found out my niece's husband posts here on the ONE AND ONLY JWD

  by ThomasCovenant in

  1. jw
  2. experiences

  i am very happy to find out today that my nephew-in-law (?

  ) has been viewing and posting on this site for a little while.. with all the recent influx of newbies, before the restrictions came into force, i missed him joining.

  not that i would have known it was him.. i regret to say that i was unaware that he and my niece had stopped going to meetings for about a year and he had been doing his own research into the 't' before finally seeing the shite.. i now have only my parents and parents-in-law still in and a brother in law and his wife barely hanging on.. my family= .

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  ThomasCovenant

  Hi

  I am very happy to find out today that my nephew-in-law (?) has been viewing and posting on this site for a little while.

  With all the recent influx of newbies, before the restrictions came into force, I missed him joining. Not that I would have known it was him.

  I regret to say that I was unaware that he and my niece had stopped going to meetings for about a year and he had been doing his own research into the 'T' before finally seeing the shite.

  I now have only my parents and parents-in-law still in and a brother in law and his wife barely hanging on.

  My family=

  4 still in and strong

  2 going through the motions

  11 well and truly out.

  This site is so important to new ones in realizing they are not alone.

  Hello to DHAND, a genuine person.

  Thanks for listening

  Thomas Covenant
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  27

  Specific TV, Film, Music or Computer Game references deemed inappropriate?

  by veen in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was down the pub tonight and my sister said she went to see 'sex and the city' in the cinema.

  i gave a lol and said the title of the film sounds just like something which would be specifically singled out at 'inappropriate for true christians' in a district assembly talk just because of it's title.. .

  immediately everyone started having a go saying that what i said sounded like the criticisms of an apostate and if i went to assemblies or meetings or read the literature anymore i would know that they don't single out specific shows etc anymore.. .

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  ThomasCovenant

  Watchtower 63 15th Feb pp107-108

  Walking with God

  15

  Walking with God also requires us to be organization-minded in our reading habits. God’s visible channel provides us with ever so much reading matter, all of which should be a MUST for Christians.

  Some imagine they do not have time to read through each issue of TheWatchtower, yet the president and vice-president of the Watch Tower Society do. Are you busier or do you have more important work than they do?

  Or is it a matter of selectivity?

  Are we wasting time reading other things or watching television when we could be buying out the opportune time reading TheWatchtower?
• 
  27

  Specific TV, Film, Music or Computer Game references deemed inappropriate?

  by veen in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was down the pub tonight and my sister said she went to see 'sex and the city' in the cinema.

  i gave a lol and said the title of the film sounds just like something which would be specifically singled out at 'inappropriate for true christians' in a district assembly talk just because of it's title.. .

  immediately everyone started having a go saying that what i said sounded like the criticisms of an apostate and if i went to assemblies or meetings or read the literature anymore i would know that they don't single out specific shows etc anymore.. .

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  ThomasCovenant

  MOVIES, PARTIES, DANCING

  Watchtower 63 15th Feb p109 Walking with God

  22

  Is Jehovah’s service indeed the most important thing in our lives? If so, then we will not content ourselves with merely token witnessing but will strive to reach at least the minimum requirements of the congregation quotas. We want the consuming zeal that Jesus had and so will do all we possibly can. Remember, "everyone to whom much was given, much will be demanded of him; and the one whom people put in charge of much, they will demand more than usual of him." So let us not content ourselves with doing as little as possible to be a Christian.—Luke 12:48.

  23

  As time goes on we should be increasing in zeal. If that is not true in our case, could it be that materialism or something else is making inroads? Some may have become television addicts. If one’s television set is causing one to stumble as regards one’s worship of Jehovah; if watching it is making inroads on one’s personal study, one’s meeting attendance and one’s field ministry, then let one get rid of it. Better to enter the new world without a television set than risking missing out on the new world because of watching television!—Mark 9:45.

  24

  The same must also be said of other forms of entertainment. Have we got in such a rut of craving pleasure that moving pictures, parties or dancing are a "must" on Saturday nights? How can we do justice to Sunday’s field ministry, public talk and Watchtower study if we fail to get a good night’s rest? True, relaxation is necessary, but let us control it, not let it control us! Walking with God, giving him exclusive devotion, putting first his kingdom, demands of us that we do!
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  27

  Specific TV, Film, Music or Computer Game references deemed inappropriate?

  by veen in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was down the pub tonight and my sister said she went to see 'sex and the city' in the cinema.

  i gave a lol and said the title of the film sounds just like something which would be specifically singled out at 'inappropriate for true christians' in a district assembly talk just because of it's title.. .

  immediately everyone started having a go saying that what i said sounded like the criticisms of an apostate and if i went to assemblies or meetings or read the literature anymore i would know that they don't single out specific shows etc anymore.. .

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  ThomasCovenant

  COMEDY PROGRAMS, WESTERNS, READING NEWSPAPERS, COMICS and IMMORAL NOVELS

  Watchtower 61 15th June p368-374 Progressing Toward Maturity

  HOW

  TOPROGRESS

  16

  One way is by being spiritually-minded. Today there is a battle for the control of men’s minds. We are bombarded with vying political and economic philosophies, competing religions and commercial advertisers. But who is directing this insidious campaign of propaganda, the billions of words that pour over television, radio and the printed page every day? The Devil!

  (Rev. 16:13-16) Be on guard against this arch deceiver! (Rev. 12:9) Many of his schemes appear ever so innocent, but they may accomplish his purpose of consuming your time and controlling your mind. His design is to keep people so busy watching trite comedy programs, western movies, and reading newspapers, comics and immoral novels that they do not have time to learn about Armageddon, where he is leading them!

  Do not let him deceive you. Do not feed your mind on his propaganda! It will only undermine your faith, not build your pattern of integrity-keeping.

  Do not permit your mind to be fed on the wrong motives of killing, fighting, grudges and revenge, which are glorified in the ever-popular western movies.

  Do not feed your mind on the disgusting wrestling and boxing matches that television offers! Do you think that men will abuse their bodies in that fashion in God’s new world? Do you think that it was God’s will at creation for man’s body to be punched, jabbed, hooked, gouged and headlocked? Of course not!—Phil. 4:8.
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  27

  Specific TV, Film, Music or Computer Game references deemed inappropriate?

  by veen in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was down the pub tonight and my sister said she went to see 'sex and the city' in the cinema.

  i gave a lol and said the title of the film sounds just like something which would be specifically singled out at 'inappropriate for true christians' in a district assembly talk just because of it's title.. .

  immediately everyone started having a go saying that what i said sounded like the criticisms of an apostate and if i went to assemblies or meetings or read the literature anymore i would know that they don't single out specific shows etc anymore.. .

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  ThomasCovenant

  Blade Runner

  Awake 84 8th April p13

  Do

  You‘FeedYourChildaScorpion’?

  "THE movie also contains scenes of grisly sadism that are perhaps unequalled in recent popular entertainment." One "artificial human slowly crushes the skull of his human creator." Another character is shot in the torso. "We see her violently writhing and dying." Then one of the principal characters "is shown putting his finger in the wound and licking her blood."

  These descriptions are taken from a NewYorkTimes article that asked whether this type of film violence is a socially destructive element. Regarding the film BladeRunner, it stated: "The vivid depiction of gore, and the plot emphasis on aggressive behavior, seems to raise to a new level a trend evident in many recent mass-audience science-fiction or fantasy movies that attract large youthful followings." Herein lies the danger—the younger generation is being brainwashed with gratuitous, or unnecessary, violence.
• 
  27

  Specific TV, Film, Music or Computer Game references deemed inappropriate?

  by veen in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was down the pub tonight and my sister said she went to see 'sex and the city' in the cinema.

  i gave a lol and said the title of the film sounds just like something which would be specifically singled out at 'inappropriate for true christians' in a district assembly talk just because of it's title.. .

  immediately everyone started having a go saying that what i said sounded like the criticisms of an apostate and if i went to assemblies or meetings or read the literature anymore i would know that they don't single out specific shows etc anymore.. .

  1. 
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  ThomasCovenant

  Watchtower 83 15th October p11

  Beware of Music that Debases

  Have

  NoShareWiththeDemons!

  7

  In the field of music spiritual perils do exist. For instance, many popular musicians are involved in the occult. Some openly admit that they worship Satan, and satanic influence often shows up in their music and songs. But how can a Christian tell if demonic influence exists in certain music? It is sufficient in some cases to look at the cover of a record album. Depicted on it you may see characters dressed to look like witches, demons or devils. Or the cover may have pictures tending toward the mystical or the occult. The name of the musical group or of an album may indicate a connection with the demons, as may the titles and words of the songs. For example, what would you conclude from song titles such as "Sympathy for the Devil" and "Children of the Grave"? The NewYorkPost reported that one such song was "a brazen admission" that the musicians were "working hand-in-glove with Satan."

  8

  There have also been recordings of unscriptural and even demonistic messages by means of a technique called backward masking, used by a number of musical groups. When the recording of one very popular song is played backward, it repeatedly says, "Decide to smoke marijuana." If played backward, another popular recording carries this message: "I will sing because I live with Satan. . . . There’s no escaping it, my sweet Satan."
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  27

  Specific TV, Film, Music or Computer Game references deemed inappropriate?

  by veen in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was down the pub tonight and my sister said she went to see 'sex and the city' in the cinema.

  i gave a lol and said the title of the film sounds just like something which would be specifically singled out at 'inappropriate for true christians' in a district assembly talk just because of it's title.. .

  immediately everyone started having a go saying that what i said sounded like the criticisms of an apostate and if i went to assemblies or meetings or read the literature anymore i would know that they don't single out specific shows etc anymore.. .

  1. 
  2. 
  3. 
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  ThomasCovenant

  Television in General

  Watchtower 51 15th March p164

  But instead of a moderate use of television by people generally, what do we frequently find? The evening meal over, the family rush for their seats before the television screen, there to sit for hours, till bedtime. No time for family conversation. No time for study. No time to serve God. Only time for television. Just time to sit before the screen and soak up propaganda and entertainment. So absorbed are they that they may refuse to leave their seats before the television for an hour a week, to share in a home Bible study.

  But will television deliver them at Armageddon? Will their little god of the living room shelter them from Jehovah’s wrath? Time consumed on it might have been used to study, to transform their mind, to make it over, to gain godly wisdom, which is not to be compared to rubies, silver, gold, money or television; but instead they will be "destroyed for lack of knowledge". (Hos. 4:6) The marvelous invention has been misused by them till it has become a satanic snare to capture their mind, to keep their eye glued to a television screen, not allowing them time to see the sign of the second presence of Christ or to mentally discern the import of such sign and learn what they should do to successfully meet the crisis.

  Thanks

  Thomas Covenant
• 
  27

  Specific TV, Film, Music or Computer Game references deemed inappropriate?

  by veen in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i was down the pub tonight and my sister said she went to see 'sex and the city' in the cinema.

  i gave a lol and said the title of the film sounds just like something which would be specifically singled out at 'inappropriate for true christians' in a district assembly talk just because of it's title.. .

  immediately everyone started having a go saying that what i said sounded like the criticisms of an apostate and if i went to assemblies or meetings or read the literature anymore i would know that they don't single out specific shows etc anymore.. .

  1. 
  2. 
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  ThomasCovenant

  Hi Veen

  Dungeons and Dragons

  Awake 82 22nd March p27

  Can someone who plays games like DungeonsandDragons be following this Bible counsel?—Proverbs 4:23..............

  Indeed, the underlying assumption of DungeonsandDragons is that there is no one true God, only a universal struggle between the abstract forces of "good and evil, law and chaos," with their assorted champions. This is the sort of teaching long held by such enemies of Christianity as the Gnostics.

  Dungeons

  andDragons is permeated by the ideas of Satan the Devil, who has always championed greed, violence and demonism

  Michael Jackson/Thriller

  Awake 84 22nd May pp19-20 What About Music Videos

  "I

  WouldNeverDoItAgain!"

  In another popular video, Thriller, the performer is seen to transform first into a "cat person," then a dancing "monster." Evidently not wanting viewers to conclude that it promoted spiritism, the film begins with the disclaimer: "Due to my strong personal convictions, I wish to stress that this film in no way endorses a belief in the occult.—Michael Jackson." Nevertheless, it was so realistic that some who saw it admitted that they were horrified at first. What was this short film intended to convey? And how does the performer, Michael Jackson, feel about it in looking back?

  "I would never do it again!" says Jackson. "I just intended to do a good, fun short film, not to purposely bring to the screen something to scare people or to do anything bad. I want to do what’s right. I would never do anything like that again." Why not? "Because a lot of people were offended by it," explains Jackson. "That makes me feel bad. I don’t want them to feel that way. I realize now that it wasn’t a good idea. I’ll never do a video like that again!" He continues: "In fact, I have blocked further distribution of the film over which I have control, including its release in some other countries. There’s all kinds of promotional stuff being proposed on Thriller. But I tell them, ‘No, no, no. I don’t want to do anything on Thriller.No more Thriller.’"

  From the Same Article Re Sex

  Regarding immoral sex, the Bible says: "Since you are God’s people, it is not right that any matters of sexual immorality or indecency or greed should even be mentioned among you." (Ephesians 5:3, 4, Today’sEnglishVersion) Since such things should not "even be mentioned among" God’s people, what do you think about videos that feature themes suggestive of sexual immorality?

  Awake 74 8th Sept p9

  The trend of television toward the "new morality" is also a disheartening one. Startled viewers have seen shows that deal with homosexuality and lesbianism. Full frontal nudity has appeared on stations of the Public Broadcasting System. Comedy shows often feature off-color humor. And what about the "soap operas"? The pamphlet TVandtheNewMorality observes: "Daytime soap operas deal frankly with adultery and casually show unmarried couples in bed together."

  These programs may portray sexual immorality as a way of escape to avoid the frustrations of a wilted marital relationship. An unwary viewer could easily develop a feeling of identity with the characters portrayed and might seek similar solutions to his own problems. How unwise to expose oneself to such dangers in view of God’s stated position on sexual immorality as found, for example, at 1 Corinthians 6:9, 10: "Make no mistake: no fornicator, . . . none who are guilty either of adultery or of homosexual perversion, . . . will possess the kingdom of God"!—TheNewEnglishBible.

  Basic Instinct

  Awake 92 8th November pp 5-6

  The

  DangersofEntertainment

  Not surprisingly, today’s entertainment reflects our era, often in its ugliest aspects. Sadistic violence, blatant immorality, and the lowest of human reactions—such as racism—all find their way into popular entertainment, contaminating it to varying degrees. On the extreme end of the spectrum, what should be entertainment is little more than pornography and filth. Consider some examples.

  Movies:

  At Hollywood’s highest honors, the Oscars, three of the men nominated in the "best actor" category this year had played psychopathic killers, all of whom kill very explicitly on screen. Reportedly one character bites a chunk out of a woman’s face as he rapes her. Financially, one of the year’s biggest hits was a movie called BasicInstinct. Judging by the reviews, this title puts it mildly. The film opens with an explicit sex scene during which the woman stabs her tied-up lover repeatedly with an ice pick, spattering gore all over herself.

  ***

  g837/8p.27ChristorE.T.?***

  Christ

  orE.T.?

  E.T.—The

  Extra-Terrestrial......................

  Despite its seemingly Christian message, however, the movie subtly condones youthful misbehavior. In an early scene we find youths playing "Dungeons and Dragons" in a smoke-filled room with a lighted cigarette on the table. Later on, when E.T. gets drunk sampling beer, and Elliott in telepathic sympathy feels the effects, it is all portrayed as something cute. Further, some of the language used by these children is gross profanity. This, along with the supernatural aspects of the movie, has bothered many Christians.

  Whether parents or their children see this movie is, of course, a matter of personal choice. But because of the movie’s great popularity, let us not forget that it becomes an effective vehicle for sugarcoating youthful conduct that is definitely wrong.

  E.T.

  may be a skillfully constructed and highly entertaining movie. But it provides no substitute for our True Friend, Jesus Christ, who saves us from this dying, wicked world. After all, E.T. is make-believe. Christ is reality

  Saturday Night Fever

  Awake 79 22nd March p10

  Since the movie SaturdayNightFever has had so much to do with the phenomenal growth and spread of disco, let’s consider it. What kind of life-style does that movie feature and, in effect, promote?

  "Saturday

  NightFever"

  The main character of the movie lives for just one thing—to shine at the disco on Saturday night. The sexual escapades of the disco crowd are featured, including oral sex, which is performed out in the car during interludes to the dancing. The language is of the filthiest kind. Yet all of this is presented as normal—the way of life among those who go to discos. In a news article, "Why Teenagers Should Not See ‘Saturday Night Fever,’" New York psychologist Dr. Herbert Hoffman says:

  "What Travolta and his friends are teaching teenage boys is to become sexually involved with girls without any romantic feelings whatsoever, to use girls as sex objects, to depersonalize the entire sexual experience.

  "The ideas that teenagers will carry away with them from this movie can tragically damage their entire lives.

  "Young boys will be out to ‘score’ with the opposite sex, with the idea that a relationship with a girl is an accomplishment to brag about to friends in order to enhance group standing.

  "Young girls will be convinced either that promiscuity may be required to insure popularity, or that men are after ‘only one thing.’ In either case, their opportunity for deep and lasting emotional involvement is jeopardized.

  "It’s a sick movie to allow susceptible teenagers to see."

  Yet millions of youths around the world, often along with their parents, have flocked to this movie, making it one of the biggest box-office successes in history. As noted, it features what disco is all about. But so do other aspects of the disco scene

  How

  ChristiansShouldViewDisco

  IS IT wise for Christians to go to discos? Is it wise for them to see such movies as SaturdayNightFever? In many households questions such as these have been topics of conversation, and have given rise to some concern.

  Thomas Covenant