AuldSoul

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Posts by AuldSoul

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  24

  Proving JW's got Jehovah's blessing in 1919. Difficult? Please Help

  by oompa in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  watkins: think about it, oompa --- just because they claim it's the only true religion doesn't make it so.

  i'd say the proof shows otherwise.

  for god to remove his blessing, he would've first had to have bestowed it.

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  AuldSoul

  Oompa,

  4. that we teach God name is Jehovah.

  But God's name is Yodh Heh Waw Heh, not Jehovah. In fact, the Governing Body and many avid Bible students in the Jehovah's Witnesses religion know beyond any shadow of doubt that Jehovah is not God's name.

  The absence of or rejection of a belief is not a belief. Three of the four you mentioned are not beliefs at all. They are merely contradictions of the beliefs of others.

  Of the four doctrines you mentioned that haven't changed, what spiritual purpose does belief in any of them serve beyond distinguishing them from other religions?

  On the other hand, consider this doctrine: "Jesus is not the mediator for all mankind." A religion that claims to be Christian cannot do so rightly and believe this doctrine. It directly affects the relationship of a person to their savior. Ancillary to this belief is the doctrine that prayer to Jesus is a form of idol worship.

  How about this one:

  Watchtower August 1, 2001, p. 14, par. 8:
  
  First, since "oneness" is to be observed, a mature Christian must be in unity and full harmony with fellow believers as far as faith and knowledge are concerned. He does not advocate or insist on personal opinions or harbor private ideas when it comes to Bible understanding. Rater, he has complete confidence in the truth as it is revealed by Jehovah God through his Son, Jesus Christ, and "the faithful and discreet slave." By regularly taking in the spiritual food provided "at the proper time" -- through Christian publications, meetings, assemblies, and conventions -- we can be sure that we maintain "oneness" with fellow Christians in faith and knowledge. -- Matthew 24:45.

  Firstly, "mature christians" are defined as people who do not harbor private ideas when it comes to Bible understanding. How does this affect spirituality? (Hebrews 5:12-6:3)

  Secondly, regular spiritual feeding does not include Bible study. Presumably this is the case because that is the source of those naughty private ideas harbored by immature Christians. But what does this actual doctrine do to someone's spirituality?

  Respectfully,
  AuldSoul
• 
  24

  Proving JW's got Jehovah's blessing in 1919. Difficult? Please Help

  by oompa in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  watkins: think about it, oompa --- just because they claim it's the only true religion doesn't make it so.

  i'd say the proof shows otherwise.

  for god to remove his blessing, he would've first had to have bestowed it.

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  AuldSoul

  Oompa,

  Currently they teach that when Jesus examined the religions claiming to have spiritual light (from the illustration of the ten virgins) they say Jesus chose those who were awaiting the arrival of Christ, the Bridegroom.

  This cannot possibly apply to the Society or its acolytes at that time. They were teaching that Christ had already returned, in 1874, and that he'd already been enthroned, in 1878. Although the 1878 date was dropped from actively taught doctrine shortly after 1914, the 1874 date was still being propogated throughout their publications until the late 1920s as the year of Christ's arrival and the commencement of the parousia.

  If anyone's "lamp" would have been extinguished in 1914 it would be the religion teaching that Christ had already showed up! It would be a foolish virgin indeed who would sit with a lit lamp waiting for the arrival of a groom who had already been present for 40 years.

  Respectfully,
  AuldSoul
• 
  43

  Do YOU Hate Jehovah's Witnesses?

  by minimus in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i don't hate the people.

  i feel bad for many of them.

  i don't like the religion because it is a cult.

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  AuldSoul

  I don't hate them at all. I feel sorry for them.

  It's like "Night of the Living Dead" ... I didn't feel hatred for the zombies. They used to be people's mothers, and sisters, and brothers, and aunts, etc. What they had become was dangerous. What they had become, if left unchecked, could rob society of more mothers, and sisters, etc. Feeling sorry for them does not make them innocuous. Even though zombies are people.

  I don't feel hatred for rabid animals, either. I feel pity.

  I don't hate JWs. I hate what their diseased dogma causes them to do to each other and to other people.

  Respectfully,
  AuldSoul
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  19

  Calling all poets

  by dedpoet in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've decided to put together an ebook of poems about the watchtower.

  and upload it to lulu.com.

  i'm not looking to make any money out of.

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  AuldSoul

  Faith of Four Fathers

  Prophet
  declaring bold what may befall
  a child who dares, or not,
  he proclaims the fate of each

  act for good or ill, with will and
  fervor strengthened in the forge
  of half-remembered beatings
  decades old and trembling still

  beneath a grim visage this, his pain,
  awaits a faith, in fear

  Savior
  shining, glorious worker
  earning food for six
  mouths eager to eat what he provides

  showing off the glint of steel
  that afforded protection for
  enameled grinders flashing straighter
  truer every day, welcoming

  within a heart proud this, his beautiful pleasure,
  awaits a faith, in fear

  Preacher
  telling far and wide how it ought
  to be done in modesty, properly
  conceived and brought into life

  these thoughts and dreams of men
  fashioned powerful in His image
  are willed so, and it is done
  speaking forth while deafness catches all

  above a clarion voice this, his halo glow,
  awaits a faith, in fear

  Sire
  bringing forth in pairs
  fruit of loins and loved
  a love like that of Abram

  who gladly took a knife to
  slay a son in his God’s name
  yet none are this measure of friend
  we are slaves, we are sinners

  a hollow, distant hum as this, his son departed,
  rejects a faith, and fear
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  16

  An Organization Made of Glass?

  by metatron in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  take a look at most religions: if you change a doctrine here or there, it usually makes little difference.. you can be a catholic and take birth control.

  you can believe in evolution and still be active in most.

  protestant churches.. but what about the "truth"?

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  AuldSoul

  The relevant question is how to confront enough of them.

  The only people they allow to question their dogma pointedly are the ones who've never been Jehovah's Witnesses. It seems to me that educating and informing this group is the best method since that is the only group that will be permitted some confrontational leeway.

  Respectfully,
  AuldSoul
• 
  138

  In (partial ) support of Danny Hazard

  by stillajwexelder in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  danny you have been fearless in your exposing jws for the cult they are and the harm they have done and are doing.

  keep up the good work.

  but please be careful in what you do as this board and recovering xjws need people like you who are fearless in exposing the wt.

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  AuldSoul

  When a religion's doctrines have killed you, literally, slowly, and painfully — so that every day you wake up in the actual physical anguish of the harm to humans that a religion's doctrines can do — it may become reasonable to a tortured mind and body that someone should inflict actual physical harm to those who spread a societally harmful, diseased message.

  I would NOT do what Danny did but I have NOT suffered what Danny suffered at the hands of that religion, either.

  I am still alive and well, and have the luxury of enjoying my life without the daily frustrations of physical medical complications Danny has to endure. I am reminded daily of the religion, my wife is still a JW, so it is always near the top of my mind. Danny is reminded daily by physical pain that was inflicted on him by simply following a doctrine he put unwitting confidence in. Lifelong pain. Literal pain, to accompany the emotional pain so many of us endure on leaving the religion.

  There is a difference of many degrees between me choosing to do what Danny did and Danny choosing to do what he did. I would expect a bit more compassion for the motivations that led Danny to this point, regardless of what his bitter anger caused him to do. I don't agree with his choices, but I disagree from the comfort of different circumstances.

  For SixofNine and others who advocate for Danny to "move on" or "get a hobby" I wonder whether they know the extent of actual physical loss and pain Danny has experienced. I wonder whether they could so glibly recommend the same if they had lived it for themselves. While I agree that would be best for Danny, I fully understand why that is nigh impossible for him.

  Respectfully,
  AuldSoul
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  4

  Scans of "man with the secretary's inkhorn"--by request!

  by Atlantis in

  1. watchtower
  2. bible

  scans of "man with the secretary's inkhorn"--by request!

  request from researcher: could you post some scans of wt artwork showing illustrations of the man with the secretary's inkhorn?

  ************************************************************************** my reply: coming right up!

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  AuldSoul

  That Survival discussion is what convinced me to get baptized at age 12. The message I received from that book is, "Everyone who knows right from wrong that is without the mark of Christian dedication and baptism is dead at Armageddon."

  JW propaganda in a nutshell: "Right and wrong are what we (the Governing Body) say it is. Right and wrong can change when we say it changes, but not unless we say so—no matter what the Bible says. If you know what we say is right and wrong and you don't dedicate yourself and get baptized, God will kill you at Armageddon. If you know our current version of right from wrong and you do get baptized you have a chance of salvation ... so long as you don't pay too much attention to our previous versions of right and wrong (that is apostate thinking) and so long as you are willing to quickly adopt any future versions of right and wrong as being superior to the one you know when you get baptized. Otherwise, the dude with the inkhorn will blot out the mark on your forehead."

  Did I miss anything? How could I have been a part of such warped logic? Hooray for being cult-born!

  Respectfully,
  AuldSoul
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  16

  Time for a new great schism, apostasy, falling away, dissension?

  by Awakened07 in

  1. watchtower
  2. beliefs

  "nineteen fourteen - nineteen schmorsteen" ?.

  we've had some threads about this, but it seems the general consensus is that they cannot change the 1914 date - it is what the entire organization rests it's doctrine on.. but why do we say that, really?

  at one time (and for many, many years), the years 1799 and 1874 were pivotal dates to the bible students.

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  AuldSoul

  The information from 1879 that was safely off limits except to the "weird" JWs who archived such things is now available in searchable electronic format. They NEVER anticipated their past words to haunt them, because they never anticipated the free exchange of electronic information available today.
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  16

  I'm in love and I need your help

  by lola28 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i went to borders yesterday to buy a book and this borders happens to be next door to petsmart, as i'm driving in i notice a group of people with dogs and i realize it's adopt a pet sunday, i love animals so i made a mental note to go by and see the dogs.

  so fifteen minutes later, i spot her sitting by herself in a corner and i'm in love.

  her name is peaches, i called her and she ran up to me a licked my hand.

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  AuldSoul

  Chihuahua's are very nervous dogs, so if she wasn't skittish that means she'll have more of the temperment of the Jack Russell terrier in a smaller package. She seems a lot like a shrunk down Jack Russell (a toy Jack?), she's precious. My advice? Go get her! Figure the rest out as you go.
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  66

  pets are so much better than people....I am not well..so sorry

  by oompa in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i so loved the post of the kitten the other day.

  i checked-out this week and drank three bottles of gin, even though i stopped in toto four months ago, my wife is out of town.

  please do not post anything about counseling here as i have tried that and am on lots of meds.

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  AuldSoul

  (((oompa))),

  http://www.jehovahs-witness.com/9/113796/1.ashx

  In case it will help you see that tomorrow need not be as bleak as you predict: In a year-and-a-half I have walked from the edge of suicide ("Suicidal Ideation With Plan", they called it) spending two weeks in a State facility, to the most fulfilling place in my life so far. I could not possibly have done it alone. People on this forum helped me. Immensely.

  Respectfully,
  AuldSoul