CornerStone

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Posts by CornerStone

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  "To many new posters, mouse finger hurts, ...

  by CornerStone in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  is it just me, or are there a mess load of first time posters to this board today?

  hey, this is great, really great, but my mouse finger is starting to hurt with "clicking" rappidly.

  good to hear from new people though.. .

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  CornerStone

  Hello All,

  Is it just me, or are there a mess load of first time posters to this board today? Hey, this is great, really great, but my mouse finger is starting to hurt with "clicking" rappidly. Good to hear from new people though.

  CornerStone
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  54

  I'm a newbie too

  by Flowerpetal in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i just registered just today.

  i am not a dissenter from jws--still an active member but i have an open mind and willing to listen to all who post here.

  there have been some questions bugging me lately that have caused me to wonder about certain scriptures pertaining to being "born again.

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  CornerStone

  Hello Flowerpetal and welcome!

  As a Christian, you are quite correct in looking to Jesus words for absolute truth. Sometimes, trying to understand the scriptures can be a little like looking at a glass half filled with water. Is the glass half full or is it half empty. It just depends upon your perspective. That is not to say the correct way of looking at scripture is not out there and we should never stop looking for the truth about God and Christ but I think you understand this already. Look foward to reading your post or using the chat room and again, Welcome!

  CornerStone
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  37

  after so long....

  by 30years in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  this is my first post in any network such as this.

  i have been "lurking" around the "apostate" sites for the last year or so.

  i am glad i have!

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  CornerStone

  Hello 30Years, welcome! Hello Terally, welcome! Hello Truman, welcome!
  Hello Mole, welcome!

  "Need imput! Need imput!" That was one of the lines from the movie "Short Circuit", about a military robot, who thru a chance bolt of lightning, gained conscience awareness and soon after wanted to learn everything about life. This board and others like it (H2O, Watchtower Observer, Freeminds) represent an important avenue to learning about what has been for many of us a type of blanket covered over our eyes of understanding. That's not to say everything expressed here is something good but for the most part people are middle of the road and live and let live so that suits me just fine. I know it is hard to have family still trapped by the org.. My wife was raised a JW as is most of her family and All her friends. I still am "in" but have "seriously" curtailed my "theocratic" activity to the point of near invisibility. I NEVER accepted the orgs infailabilty and seeing the unChristian way people were treated,(my self included) only confirmed my doubts about their claims. Jesus DID say that you would know his people by the love they showed among themselves. This would come from their hearts, not fear of the org. punishment machine.
  Many here have said to take it slow and not make any sudden moves. Kind of reminds you of a snake. Well, the org. machine is like a snake that will strike you with deadly poision,(shunning, 6 million people being forced to hate you.) if you move too suddenly so please be careful.
  Well, looking forward to hearing some of your thoughts, (imput!) so keep it coming.

  CornerStone
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  6

  How Many .......

  by Prisca in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just looking at the chat room at the moment, i counted 16 in the chat room!!.

  can we fit anymore in???

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  CornerStone

  This was my first time in ANY chatroom, ever. They were gentle with me.

  CornerStone
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  9

  Does the GB report time?

  by nojw86 in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just thought about all field service etc.

  does the gb count time, and if they have a specific amount for the month, and if they should fall and not make their quota do the elders make a spiritual return visit on them?

  since the corporate change does anyone know what they are doing ?

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  CornerStone

  I'm sure the GB have a "spiritual" time sheet that the angels fill-out every month. This thinking along the lines of Jesus "invisible" return or Jahovah "using" the watchtower to teach mankind.

  CornerStone
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  5

  Pedo and Ephebophile problem on the radio.

  by CornerStone in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i heard an interesting show on kabc am talk radio today, ( 790 west coast ).

  this was the al rantel show.

  al had a guest who had just published a book.

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  CornerStone

  Hello Bluesapphire,

  One of the callers to the show asked the guest if the porportion of pedophile cases was the same in the Catholic church and in the other religions he studied. He sounded reluctant to answer so I figured that it was. Most likely they are pretty close together satistic wise.
  It's probably the case that where little is done it is the most rampent in that particular religious organization.

  CornerStone
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  5

  Pedo and Ephebophile problem on the radio.

  by CornerStone in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i heard an interesting show on kabc am talk radio today, ( 790 west coast ).

  this was the al rantel show.

  al had a guest who had just published a book.

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  CornerStone

  Hello All,

  I heard an interesting show on KABC AM talk radio today, ( 790 west coast ). This was the Al Rantel Show. Al had a guest who had just published a book. The guest's name was Kevin E. Gallagher and the books title is "Divine Lunacy". The book had to do with the pedophile and ephebophile problem within the Catholic church and other religions.
  Even though there was no mention of the problems JW's are facing within the org., practically everything the guest and callers were discussing were related to the orgs problems.
  Kevin, the guest, related how he used to do pro bono work on maritial issues on behalf of the Catholic church. In time he came to encounter a disturbing number of pedo related issues. In his book he makes a distinction between pedophiles- adults sexually attracted to prepubescent children, and ephebophiles- ( I hope I spelled that correctly), adults sexually attracted to children entering puberty,11,12,13years old. Some of the points I remember from the broadcast were

  1) Since 1960, new priest enrollment has been down by 50%

  2) An avarge pedophile will molest between 200 to 250 victims in a life time. (Dept. of Justice stats.)

  3) There is or will be over 1 million victims at this time.

  4) Some figure that there is 50% priest who are homosexual.

  ---------------------------------------------------------------------
  NOTE! I am just repeating what I heard on the broadcast. I am NOT Catholic-bashing. I hate it when JW's Catholic bash and I won't do it either. When I was a child I remember the local church bringing food and furniture to our home when we needed help. Those acts of kindness are not lost on me, I'm just relating this info because of it's relationship to the JW problem.
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  So, Kevin related to the listeners legal issues, like the state of California has no statue of limitations concerning pedo cases. That may interest some. He believes that the Pope does not want to see the problem the church is facing besides the paying of money in judgements in civil cases. He relates how the local parishes are just following a set of rules and proceedures sent down from Rome to handle the problem. Hmm, sound familiar? Word of mouth elder proceedures from Brooklyn mabey? Pope of Rome/GB of the WTS, old men who don't want to see the problem, just let the underlings handle it. Not take a personal interest in the safety of our most vulnerable of society, our children. Judge for your self.
  Kevin also related that due to the low enrollment of new priest they might be less selective about who they ordain. He mentioned that those who entered their training at a young age, their sexual "urgeses" were repressed to a "teenage level". And since marriage is a problem due to doctrine and lack of controll, that "coiled spring" is released "unnaturally" onto the very young. He also brought out how Rome has issued stricter standards in regards to the interaction between priest and children. One new rule is that priest and alterboys/altergirls cannot be alone together. There must be an adult with them at all times.
  Even though the GB has come down with "new rules" on dealing with pedophiles and ephebophiles within the congregations, does this all seem like so many band-aids, one ontop of another? It seems that if the GB were really concerned about the wellfare of it's children it would admit there is a problem in Jahovahs' clean organization, endure the public shame of confronting the problem by its peers,(oops,I forgot, the org. has no peers, every other relegious org. is from Satan.)and set up a plan of intervention to help all individuals involved before there is a problem. Now I know that you can't stop every pedophile from victimizing a child, but you can reduce the risk signifigantly. As with most problems an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
  Well, if you want to get hold of the book it is available at Amazon.com "Divine Lunacy" by Kevin E. Gallagher. It is somewhat humorous because few people want to read about such a troubling subject his publicist said. But people will pay money to go see Hannable Lector eat someones brains for dinner. Go figure.
  Al Rantel Show kabc.com 10-1 pm pst USA

  CornerStone
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  4

  Anointed

  by hippikon in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  please describe how jesus came to be anointed by a dove

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  CornerStone

  Hello Hippikon,

  I believe Jesus anointing was characterized by Gods' spirit descending LIKE a dove and not BY a dove.

  16After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. 17And a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, and I am fully pleased with him.”
  Matthew 3:16,17 NLT

  Sorry if I am missunderstanding what you are asking.

  CornerStone
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  14

  Are we bitter people or just victims?

  by cocolocoii in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i am a jehovah's witness until today, but i don't know if i'll continue to be one of them tomorrow.. i said that because for once my eyes are open to reallity and i can clearly see that there is not organization beyond our creators name.. i see a lot or imperfect man trying to do what is right, but allways those desires are corrupted by their pride or greediness.. i think that in the watch tower organization are really a lot of people who really wants to served god.

  but i think too that there are a lot a people who doesn't have love and mercy for their brothers.

  a well known saying says that you will catch more fly with honey than with vinager.. this doesn't mean that people are allowed to do whatever they want without any respect for god's word in the bible.

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  CornerStone

  Hello Cocolocoii,

  I think it is a little of each. To those who were NOT shown Christ-like love and understanding for the most part are victims of wolves in sheeps clothing. This in turn can and will cause bitterness. On the other hand our own faillings can blind us to the point of percieving ourselves as victims and this can and will cause bitterness. There is no easy way to cope with such intense feelings. All roads to recovery start with us taking the first step however.

  There are times when simple forgiveness can relieve a lifetime of bitterness. Recovery from acute bitterness may be as complex as the reasons for the bitterness, but it may also be as simple as three spoken words: “I forgive you.”

  31Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of malicious behavior. 32Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.
  Ephesians 4:31 NLT

  As to JW and ex-JW's being victims of the org., I firmly believe that their day is coming. Weather for good or for bad there will be a reckoning, a day of justice.

  1But there were also false prophets in Israel, just as there will be false teachers among you. They will cleverly teach their destructive heresies about God and even turn against their Master who bought them. Theirs will be a swift and terrible end. 2Many will follow their evil teaching and shameful immorality. And because of them, Christ and his true way will be slandered. 3In their greed they will make up clever lies to get hold of your money. But God condemned them long ago, and their destruction is on the way.
  2 Peter 2: 1-3 NLT

  I believe God promises us a bright future. It's not easy licking our wounds, so to speak, but I have more hope for tomorrow than I have regret for the past. Anyway, hope this makes sense.

  CornerStone
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  23

  "It's a conscience matter"

  by expatbrit in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  just had dinner with my wife and a couple of her friends.. one of them was telling me about her sister-in-law, a very nice, kind person who i've met on several occasions.

  it seems this sister got a job in an office as a receptionist/secretary.

  last christmas (1999) her employer asked her to sign christmas cards for all the clients.

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  CornerStone

  Hello Expatbrit,

  What is there that is not a "conscience matter?" From getting out of bed to working to picking your nose is something we think about doing before we do it anyway. It is UNFAIR to people by expecting certain behavior of them on pain of punishment if they disobey and then turn around an say that it was their descision to make. This may sound unpopular but I believe only God himself can get away with doing that!
  Just one more example that makes me think that the GB of the WTS think THEY are God by such expectations. Unlike many hatefilled elders who oppress the sheep, Jesus "invited" people to come to right conclusions on many matters. Sometimes he was stern but mostly he was warm and inviting and very compasionate. I feel very sorry for the sister who had to endure that type of Phariseacal torture. I mean, They in Brooklyn made this assanine "Christmass" rule, not God. Then, when this assanine "Christmas" rule affected this sisters conscience, the cowards would not even ease up or relax the rule to make her life just a tadd bit easier! What serpents! What snakes! What cowards! No mercy here! Just rules, rules, rules untill you die! Then, we'll take your children and do the same to them!
  Well, hopefully, that sister will not forget how those "kind", "loving" sheappards treated her and will make a way of escape for herself. But I don't believe there will be any escape for those snakes!

  CornerStone