Posts by AuldSoul

51

Do Any Atheists Feel This Way?

by Big Dog in

jw
friends

the atheists have done a pretty good job on me, i am just about to cast my lot in with them after all the reading and debating on the issue.

they just seem to have all the answers and appear to hold the intellectual high ground, they do a good job of making one feel like a complete idiot for believing in a god, much less the christian version.

so now that i am almost free of this delusional, magical thinking, religious burden of foolishly believing in a god and that there is anymore to life than what is right here how do i feel?

AuldSoul

...one Thursday, early two thousand years after one man had been nailed to a tree for saying how great it would be to be nice to people for a change...

Sorry, SeattleNiceGuy. Never read it. Actually, if I were to try and pinpoint the exact thing that led to my current state of disbelief in JWism I would have to give the credit to Douglas Adams. The man was brilliant when it came to looking at things differently than is customary. It is sad about the lady in the Rickmansworth café, though. Would've been nice to know what it was all about, and how it would work this time 'round.

I have digital watch, though I must admit, it is small comfort. I'd much rather have more bits of green paper but I can't seem to convince anyone to shuffle some my way.

AuldSoul

39

Ideas for bumper stickers/signs...what can you come up with?

by AuldSoul in

jw
friends

from kid-a's post on another thread: millions once living are now dead!.

607 bc?.

watchtower bedded the beast (1991-2001).

AuldSoul

From kid-a's post on another thread: Millions Once Living Are Now DEAD!

607 BC?

Watchtower Bedded the Beast (1991-2001)

Let Elders ~~Fondle~~ Handle Abuse Victims

Internet, the Immortal Enemy of Liars

Jesus Was Apostate

Well, what can you guys come up with? People read bumper stickers, what would JWs read on your car to make them think?

89

How the Internet Means 'The End' for Apostates and Opposers of the Society

by slimboyfat in

jw
friends

the received wisdom is that the internet has dramatically damaged the ability of the watchtower society to gain and retain followers.

there was a very eloquent article to that effect written some time ago by a commentator who attempted to buttress his argument with reference to the postmodern condition and the breakdown of metanarratives in todays secular society, nay, even the come-back for enlightenment notions of truth.

in the 1970/80s there were major challenges to the watchtowers theology (great crowd in heaven) and chronology (1914) in norway, alberta canada, dublin ireland and in the newyork bethel itself: but the damage caused by those involved in the dissent was limited because knowledge was dispersed merely through personal contact and minimal use of obscure publications that seldom met the eyes of witnesses innocent of the watchtowers doctrinal and chronological vacillations in any case.

AuldSoul

TopHat:

(1) I had never considered the absence of evidence for the authority claimed by the Governing Body (GB)/Faithful and Discreet Slave (FDS), and had not been aware that C.T. Russell called himself the FDS. I learned that from the Internet. I put him onto digging for proof.

(2) Daniel 4, why does it have a second fulfillment? There is not a single explanation of why that I can find on the CD-ROM except for a few instances of twisting Luke 21:24 into indication of a future fulfillment. But that verse applies directly and specifically to Daniel 7, not Daniel 4.

(3) 1925 the return of the ancient worthies. Rutherford said that date was more firmly established in the Bible than 1914.

Blew his mind. He went digging and quickly found proof that each was baseless.

AuldSoul

89

How the Internet Means 'The End' for Apostates and Opposers of the Society

by slimboyfat in

jw
friends

the received wisdom is that the internet has dramatically damaged the ability of the watchtower society to gain and retain followers.

there was a very eloquent article to that effect written some time ago by a commentator who attempted to buttress his argument with reference to the postmodern condition and the breakdown of metanarratives in todays secular society, nay, even the come-back for enlightenment notions of truth.

in the 1970/80s there were major challenges to the watchtowers theology (great crowd in heaven) and chronology (1914) in norway, alberta canada, dublin ireland and in the newyork bethel itself: but the damage caused by those involved in the dissent was limited because knowledge was dispersed merely through personal contact and minimal use of obscure publications that seldom met the eyes of witnesses innocent of the watchtowers doctrinal and chronological vacillations in any case.

AuldSoul

Millions once living are now DEAD

This is absolute truth, a rarity these days. It is unarguable. It would only be understood by Witnesses. This is a beatiful bumper sticker waiting to happen. Couldn't even be disfellowshipped for having it on your car, it is true and easily provable.

Goodonya, kid-a!

AuldSoul

89

How the Internet Means 'The End' for Apostates and Opposers of the Society

by slimboyfat in

jw
friends

the received wisdom is that the internet has dramatically damaged the ability of the watchtower society to gain and retain followers.

there was a very eloquent article to that effect written some time ago by a commentator who attempted to buttress his argument with reference to the postmodern condition and the breakdown of metanarratives in todays secular society, nay, even the come-back for enlightenment notions of truth.

in the 1970/80s there were major challenges to the watchtowers theology (great crowd in heaven) and chronology (1914) in norway, alberta canada, dublin ireland and in the newyork bethel itself: but the damage caused by those involved in the dissent was limited because knowledge was dispersed merely through personal contact and minimal use of obscure publications that seldom met the eyes of witnesses innocent of the watchtowers doctrinal and chronological vacillations in any case.

AuldSoul

slimboyfat, if not for the Internet I would know 1% of what I know now. I may still be an active JW. I disagree with your conclusions. There are thousands of avenues that will be looked at by the young, the young will use the Internet. The young will challenge authority. And the young are leaving in droves.

A friend expressed to me the other day that although he has never talked to an apostate before he never knew they were reasonable intelligent people with serious doctrinal problems with the Org. He thought they were all deranged lunatics foaming at the mouth. He said he wished that he had left before he married and had kids, and that if he knew then what he knows now he would have. I only put him onto researching three issues, and in two days he knew the schmere was a crock.

He was able to this because of computer technology, the WT CD-ROM is the apostate's best friend. The Internet is the exiting JW's best friend.

AuldSoul

11

Bible prophecy clearly indicates 1914?

by gringojj in

jw
friends

i was reading the nov. 22nd awake "who will feed the cities?".

on page 14 a german brother relates an experience of coming into the wts.

2 witnesses were at his door and asked him "did you know that the year 1914 was a very special year according to the bible?".

AuldSoul

I'm not an apologist, but I can clearly explain it. What you do is find a place in the Bible that talks about some stuff that happened to some dude, but the dude was told it was gonna be in the future that it would happen to him.

Then you say, WOW! That has two fulfillments! Whattaya mean, "Why?" 'Cause I SAY SO, THAT'S why!

Then you say, but the lengths of time are all wrong, even though they meant just the right thing for the dude. So you go look for some other place where some other dude was s'posed to do something, and you take the rules from that prophecy and you stick 'em on the first one. Whattaya mean, "Why?" 'Cause I SAY SO, THAT'S why!

Now we're making progress, but we are still off by about 36 years past 1914. So you go back to the Bible and you find a place where you can make it seem like a year isn't really a year and you stick that onto what the Bible said was gonna happen to the dude. Whattaya mean, "Why?" 'Cause I SAY SO, THAT'S why!

But, now we have to switch back to regular years to reach 1914, because if we stayed with the years that weren't years we would end up in 1880 and we really need 1914 to work. Whattaya mean, "Why?" 'Cause I SAY SO, THAT'S why!

And that's why Daniel 4 leads to 1914: 'Cause I say so, that's why.

AuldSoul

30

NGO/WTS scandal info sought

by yaddayadda in

some questions for someone really clued up on the ngo scandal:

who was the pr when the society first applied to be an ngo in 1992....milton henschel?

when did don adams become the president of the wts?

AuldSoul

According to Paul Hoeffel, in some form or other the annual accreditation form has been in place since the initiation of the UN/DPI NGO program around 1968/9.

There has been a committe since that time responsible for reviewing each Associated/Affiliated NGO annually to determine whether their involvement meritted continuation of the arrangement.

The Christian Congregation of Jehovah's Witnesses read the questions from the original application they have on file to my father (Local PO). But that was the application, not the yearly accreditation form.

The WTS claims that there are no questions on the form which are inappropriate for Christians, however there is one question (I believe question 29) that reads: "For what purpose does your organization wish to Associate to the UN/DPI?" If there is any answer there it constitutes a desire to be a friend of the world. They answered it innocuously enough, but there is no way they can legitimately call the relationship a "registration" with such a question right there on the form.

It is actually the yearly reports that would be most useful. These would show how well the WTS understood the need to show support for continued involvement. But we do not have access to these.

AuldSoul

16

Matthew 23 and the WTS

by Lady Lee in

the following is a beginning to something i have been thinking about for a long time.

any ideas or additional thoughts would be appreciated.

lee.

AuldSoul

ithinkisee, they even call such activities their "tithe."

AuldSoul

8

Are we prey for the taking, from people in other religions?

by free2beme in

jw
friends

when i told people i was no longer a witness, i had some weird things happen with people in other religions.

one, i had a sister of one my friends call me and offer to bring a de-programmer to my house to help me learn the truth about jesus christ.

sounded like a programing, and not a de-programing.

AuldSoul

In my opinion, no one that leaves this organization is prey unless they let themselves be. But there does seem to be active recruitment of ex-JWs and ex-Mormons. I think it has to do with a desire to infuse churches with some good ol'-fashioned zealotry.

AuldSoul

60

1st post from a former S.O!

by onesong in

jw
friends

i'm 36 yrs.

old and was a jw for 35.i did everything from pioneer to bethel to ms to elder, school overseer ect.

, ect.

AuldSoul

onesong, welcome!

I agree with you regarding the striking similarity at the core of what Jesus taught, what the Buddha taught, and what Mohammed taught. Your additions to this forum will be welcome.

AuldSoul