Posts by IW

57

Barbara Anderson- Your new book on Russell

by IW in

jw
friends

barbara,.

i read this recently on the biblestudents.net forum:i know barbara, we use to talk on the phone, when she learned i was writing a history of pastor russell and the ibsa.

in the countless hours we spent on the phone.

IW

Forscher,

I don't find it surprising that women help their husbands but what riles is the deception in the Watchtower that the sisters are not to take the lead and not to teach because God has given that job to the men. Yet, behind the scenes it is perfectly alright for the wives of some JW elders to write, and I mean actually write (not just proofread) their talks. How many sisters among the 6 million JWs know that a fellow sister, Barbara Anderson, was a reseacher and writer for the Watchtower organization?

Either the brothers do the job themselves or they give credit where credit is due. I think the Golden Rule is in there somewhere.

IW

27

I Can't Do Any More - Can You?

by Joe Grundy in

jw
friends

when i first posted here, i explained that it was because although i am not, never have been, never will, be a jw, i have (earthly, as an atheist) loving concern for my jw neighbours/friends.. just recently, i found out that the mom is pregnant.

she is not young, has a 6 year old, and a 2 year old who is like a firecracker!.

i have offered to do basic things like take/collect the 6 year old to and from school, take the kids for walks on beach, etc.

IW

Joe,

Believe it or not many JWs are happy to be what they are and they lead good lives especially when compared to some families I'm sure you've come in contact with as a cop. They find safety and comfort in their little garden with its high walls. It's their choice. All you can do is be a good neighbor as it seems they are to you also.

As for taking the child to school I would think you would be happy to see a family being extra careful with their kids. When my children were young no one outside of my family would be trusted with their care and I'm glad this JW mom is also being careful. You should not be alone with the children, as a former cop you understand the situation.

If you're a good friend to the Mom and Dad that will have a beneficial influence on them and their family. But someone who appears to get a little too interested in a family's personal life, though, usually sets off alarms, this I'm sure as a cop you are also aware of.

Be a friend to the parents and live your life, Joe.

Just my opinion of course.

IW

26

Comments You Will Not Hear at the 6-11-06 WT Study (SHEPHERDS 2)

by blondie in

http://www.randytv.com/secret/unitednations.htm (united nations issue).

jehovah trains--not jesus?.

his flock--not jesus?.

IW

Hi Blondie,

Thanks for the review!

Let's examine the title of this article:
Jehovah trains--not Jesus?
his flock--not Jesus?
Have you ever tried to find where and how often the WTS refers to the flock as belonging to Jesus?
Where is Jesus in this article? Again, an OT scripture is used to put Jesus in the background.

The emphasis on Jehovah fits in quite well with their passion for rules and law. Like some other fundamentalist faiths the JW hierarchy believes their followers should worship surrounded and protected by religious law. The OT is filled with laws and the GB revel in finding principles in those laws that can be enforced upon the rank and file as "rules." Jesus on the other hand provided very few laws and rules, too few for those men who love law above even the Christ himself.

Thanks again for posting this review.

IW

50

Are you embarrassed?

by desib77 in

jw
friends

does anyone else find themselves embarrassed about their jw past?

i find that when people that know what i used to be ask me about it i am completely embarrassed by how foolish their beliefs sound especially things like the blood issue.

i can't stand when someone will say "why did you believe such and such....?

IW

No, I'm not embarrassed to tell people I was a JW. Most of time it never comes up but if it does I don't feel any shame about it. It was my faith, I believed it and I loved it. Period. If someone is small minded enough to think I was stupid to be a JW they're not really the kind of person I care about anyway, so bug off! would be my attitude.

What religion, political party, organization, business entity, or club does not have some degree of liars, thieves and law breakers? Which political party does not stoop to deceiving the voters to some extent in order to get votes? Which religion does not preach it is approved by God or teach their members to follow the lead of their ministers or priests? What large business has not at some time failed to be totally honest and true both to its customers and employees and the government? Yet, all of these have faithful members who will continue to dedicate their lives to the cause no matter how inane or faulty it may turn out to be.

I don't think my JW affiliation is something to be ashamed of just as being a Catholic/Baptist or Republican/Democrat is anything to be ashamed of....I stand on my own and I fall on my own not on my religious, political or organizational affiliations.

Never let anyone make you fell ashamed about having been a JW. It's our past nothing more. I learned from it and from leaving it and the lessons learned have helped me to see things many non-JWs have problems seeing in their own religion or in life in general.

65

Why God refuses to interfere

by greendawn in

jw
friends

many people ask why doesn't god interefere to help suffering mankind?

biblically the answer is very simple: mankind exercise their freedom of choice and in so doing chose to be slaves to sin or the demons if you like.

god respects that choice however foolish it may be.

IW

"Why God refuses to interfere," is an assumption. For all we know he "interferes" frequently. It's just that we do not understand or see the why's and where's of it. Do children always understand why their parents many times don't give them what they want? Don't parents allow their child to suffer sometimes whether it's making them finish their homework all on their own, forcing them to get braces for their teeth, allowing the consequences of their bad behavior in school to come down on them, to even deciding whether or not a dying son or daughter should be put through another chemo therapy....why do we do it? Are most parents just mean and don't understand the hardships of childhood and the teen years? Why do we, from their point of view, make it hard for them? Why can't we just make them happy they ask? Do the homework for them, no braces, stick up for them when their caught cheating or bullying in school, allow association with anyone etc.

Parents know "why" but our kids don't always understand or even want to understand. Sometimes all they see at the moment is that Dad and Mom are making their life miserable. They just don't understand at that moment that Mom and Dad do it because we love them and we are looking out for their long term interests not just for that one day or year in their life. They also don't always understand how hard it is to love your kids and say, "no" to something they want so dearly.

On the other hand, as parents we often do things for our children they are not aware of or are too young to understand. Maybe a parent is sacrificing themselves to save for their child's college education or gives up something they need in order to get that computer for school or meets with the child's teacher to discuss how best to help their child etc., there's a myriad of things a parent does during their lifetime to help their children behind the scenes, things their children never really fully appreciate until they themselves raise a child to adulthood.

God is a parent. Just because we don't always understand why bad things happen does not in itself mean he does not care. God is raising mankind to adulthood he allows us to take our own steps and to fall down when we go the wrong way and yes, like the rest of creation he also allows us to die. Maybe in the end, mankind's history will be that college education God was saving for us. Maybe some day we will all understand.

25

Evolution and Self-Sacrifice

by IW in

jw
friends

does the theory of evolution supply the genetic answer to the self-sacrificing nature of many animal parents as well as that of many men and women in general?

when a man or woman risks their life to help someone in danger is their response simply a response to the natural processes at work due to evolution's effect on their dna?

if so, can this self-sacrificing gene be isolated?

IW

Hi under_believer,

I understand, I suppose, ;) macro verses micro evolution and the zig-zag concept but nontheless doesn't the theory of evolution teach that for the most part more complex organisms came after simpler ones and that the best adapted species were more successful than those who were not as well adapted? I have much to learn, I know, that's why I'm asking questions because I still have a problem seeing the common sense in evolution.

What or who will be the top species on earth 100 or 200 million years from now? Will mankind look any different? Will there be new species in the oceans? Perhaps new kinds of mammals and birds? Well....my questions I suppose are endless.

IW

57

Barbara Anderson- Your new book on Russell

by IW in

jw
friends

barbara,.

i read this recently on the biblestudents.net forum:i know barbara, we use to talk on the phone, when she learned i was writing a history of pastor russell and the ibsa.

in the countless hours we spent on the phone.

IW

Lots of great stuff on this thread! Thanks Stev! I think its important to get the truth of the matter out if that's possible. Most JWs might not care and many Bible Students may not believe it but who cares!!!! We know and that's what counts!

The truth can make you free as we all have quite literally found out and if in later years Russell covered over the fact that his wife co-authored the Volumes that is another "truth" to add to his shame of face.

Barbara kindly answered my pm and she'll be giving her take on this either later today or tomorrow.

IW

25

Evolution and Self-Sacrifice

by IW in

jw
friends

does the theory of evolution supply the genetic answer to the self-sacrificing nature of many animal parents as well as that of many men and women in general?

when a man or woman risks their life to help someone in danger is their response simply a response to the natural processes at work due to evolution's effect on their dna?

if so, can this self-sacrificing gene be isolated?

IW

Very interesting info here, I've really enjoyed the discussion. There is one question I'd like to ask, isn't science working against evolution when we vaccinate ourselves from diseases instead of letting the natual process of selection take place? Wouldn't evolution, if left alone, produce a race of mankind that was better able to resist these diseases by allowing those who are naturally resistant (natural survivors of childhood diseases) to continue to produce children thereby passing down their resistance? (Not to mention the many cancers that run in families and the other genetic conditions that exist.)

Isn't medicine working against the very process most scientists believe created the biological world we live in? I'm not for getting rid of medicine! just trying to understand this seeming inconsistency in the scientific world. Wouldn't allowing nature take its course be the best thing if man truly believes that natural processes have created such a remarkable living little planet as the one we all call home?

IW

36

A Kind and Loving God

by Dr Jekyll in

jw
friends

a number of people have asked where i disappeared to and why i stopped posting.

so that i dont have to keep typing the reason out im putting it here.

it might just make some of you think about what a loving god you serve.

IW

Sweet, beautiful baby. My heart breaks.

75

Infallibility of Scripture

by drew sagan in

one of this biggest teachings present in mostly all christian denominations is the idea that the bible is infallibile.

my question is, where does the bible say this?

i know of many scriptures that point to the idea that what was written was directed by god, but where does the idea that what written is totally without error originate?

IW

Great topic, Drew.

With that said, where does the Bible teach that each and every verse is indeed a divine revelation. Paul recorded things he refered to as his own opinion, so that means that Pauls opinion was recorded as a divine revelation from God?

No where does the Bible teach that each and every verse is a divine revelation but I think it is a given that while each verse may not be directly from God it is at least allowed by him. Jesus himself said divorce was allowed in the Law because Moses knew the hardheartedness of man and allowed divorce. God did not institute that from the beginning but he allowed Moses do what was needed. God allowed Moses to write what was good for his day but only the Ten Commandments were written in stone, in effect to be kept always. (It's interesting that in the Most Holy of the Temple the Ten Commandments were kept inside the Ark but the Law outside of it. Perhaps indicating it's temporary nature.) Imo, Jesus did the same with Paul he allowed Paul to set the standards for the congregations of his day but not necessarily "law" that would stand forever. The Jews found it easier to lean on law rather than on God just as many Christians today want to lean on the written word rather than on God. It gives them comfort I suppose, this crutch of infallibility.

I say let them have their crutch as long as they don't try to beat me or my children with it. If they do then all bets are off and I will cause their crutch to crumble because the Bible is not meant to be taken as something infallible but rather something beautiful! Not as a club to beat others with but as a path through the woods at the end of which is God.

Thanks for this topic, very interesting posts.

IW