Posts by CornerStone

36

Interesting accidental circumstances

by Kent in

jw
friends

interesting accidental circumstances .

have anybody but me been wondering why so many people and new posters pop up from nowhere the last weeks, attacking all and everyone?

i find this interesting; since its obvious the attackers do have a special agenda.

CornerStone

Hello All.

In the 5 or more months I have been on this board since coming over from H2o I have seen a tendency for the larger more influencial posters to gather together a majority of support from the other posters.

Those who do not agree with some or all points of the larger posters and get "shot down" for their thoughts do seem to be treated more harshly. This seems to be due to the greater support enjoyed by the larger posters, resonable arguements notwithstanding.

There is a word that might describe what I have been seeing. POLITICS.

As for bad language, (cuss words), I do believe it is low class to use them to try to bolster an arguement, feelings notwithstanding. To me, evidence of a persons communication skill is to put forth understandable ideas without sounding like they are teenagers in a highschool. Of course tempers rise and emotions flow. We are only human.

I deal with bad language by not responding to it. Like in the case of Yadirf's reply to my reply of his post about Joelbear. It was FULL of name calling and hatred witch only confermed my opinion that his conclusions were highly suspect to say the least. There is a reason it is called "gutter language". Growing up in the "hood" and in an abusive household has made me particularly sensitive to abusive speech and I have to suppress the crazy emotions such speech illicits.
Who knows what others feel. Nuff' said.

Why do I have the feeling that some might indignantly respond to this post with cuss words? Be gentle kind posters. I'm only human. :)

CornerStone

133

BERRY LAWSUIT EVALUATED

by MadApostate in

jw
friends

i would like to preface my discussion of the recently filed berry lawsuit with several remarks.

first, i am not an attorney, and my only connection with the legal profession is that which occasionally arises out of my personal or business affairs.

second, i have no access to court records, opinions, etc., other than what is available via internet search engines.

CornerStone

Hello U.R.,

One man or woman, (or even boy or girl), CAN make a difference. I know this is simplistic, wishful thinking but I think it is important to keep hope alive. SOMONE will yank the almighty WT right off the "seat of Moses" where they have sat there fat, well fed butts on for so long at the expense of many. Then the "birds of the air" will feed on THEM for a change.

CornerStone

49

30 and Out?

by Black Man in

jw
friends

30 that seems to put jw's at a cross-roads?

i've known so many who have decided to abandon ship at either the age of 30 or either after 30 years of being baptized.

i fall into the former category.

CornerStone

Hello B.M.,

The 30somthing thing you spoke of is, in my opinnion, a common occurence from my part of the Union. In my old hall, in the last 10 years, the 30somthing group has just about "dried up". Couples have moved to other more "loving" halls and all that is left are either the very young or the older group. I wondered why the 30somthings were flying the coupe. Why were they in demand?

I think one reason is that people in their 30's are the most dynamic of the age groups. Their young enough to do all the running around that elders are suppose to do, (MS work, hall building, careing for and doing things for the young and old, basicly taking a licking but keeping on ticking), but old enough to bring their money and talents to the congregation to stablize it from futher decay.

Another reason I think is that 30somthing people have FAMILIES. Young families. That takes an auful lot time and energy if you are going to do it right. So they will gravitate to "other" 30somthings with families. Large congregations.

Sadly, I think a MAJOR reason is that they are simply "chased away" by overbearing elders trying to enforce WT rules and reggs. After 30, you simply WAKE UP and see things as they realy are, mabey for the first time in ones life. These, ofcourse, are just my sideline assumptions based on what I have seen.

What ever the reasons for ones perspective after 30, there is very little the org. can offer them that some part of their brain won't instantly recognise as cow patties.

CornerStone

3

8/1/01 WT & Rom 14:1

by lookingnow22 in

jw
friends

i had to take a mental and emotional break for a while so i haven't been around much, but here is what has led to my newest thoughts.. wt 8/1/01 pg.14 par.8.

"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 cmoes to bible understanding.

CornerStone

To AGuest,

I could not have said it better myself.

CornerStone

7

Star Trek Fans - Help!!

by shalom in

jw
friends

hi.

i need to find the song star trekking - the funny song from the eighties (in my best singing voice) ...star trekking, across the universe, on the starship enterprise, under captain kirk.... does anyone know where i can find this on the internet?.

shalom (from the computer illiterate class)

CornerStone

Hi Shalom,

Try logging on to Napster or Audiogalaxy.

CornerStone

7

Watchtower Society of Australia letter RE: Charity

by TheApostleAK in

jw
friends

http://www.geocities.com/xjw_adelaide/.

i don't know if this is secret or not.

it's the link under the time magazine ray franz article.

CornerStone

Hello A.AK,

"It may, or may not, include assistance to the poor and needy by means of gifts of material possessions, but it is exercised for the good of the other person or a community of persons. It can include providing encouragement, advice, and counsel, giving hope, or showing kindness. For example, a depressed person is often better aided by words of encouragement than by a material gift, and a person in financial difficulties could be more lastingly assisted by guidance in managing their financial affairs than they would be by a temporary boost to their bank account. The person or ORGANIZATION who provides that guidance out of a sense of Christian love is NO LESS A SHARER in the chain of charitable actions than the one who freely gives a monetary gift."

I can't believe those people in the 'tower. They want to liken the "advise" given in their litter-a-ture to the kind of kindness that Jesus and the disciples gave to people in the first century. How can they look at themselves in the mirror every morning and believe that they are doing what Jesus commanded them to do? I mean, how is it possible? Unless, of course, they are so completly removed from any sense of reality, that as long as the money keeps coming in an the drones keep "bowing down" to them then they don't realy have to face reality.

It is so regrettable that they could realy help people raise their quality of life and become "better people", morally speaking, but they chose to waste their resources by "using" the Bible to "brow beat" people into selling worthless, human opinionated watchtowers, seeking after the shadows of the GB's dreams.

CornerStone

5

How much does the WTS owe YOU?

by CornerStone in

jw
friends

i was just thinking, (whoops!, can't do that anymore, 8/1/01 wt), after reading my bible i came across a passage that discussed payment for christian workers:.

7what soldier has to pay his own expenses?

and have you ever heard of a farmer who harvests his crop and doesnt have the right to eat some of it?

CornerStone

Hello all,

I was just thinking, (Whoops!, can't do that anymore, 8/1/01 wt), after reading my Bible I came across a passage that discussed payment for Christian workers:

7What soldier has to pay his own expenses? And have you ever heard of a farmer who harvests his crop and doesn’t have the right to eat some of it? What shepherd takes care of a flock of sheep and isn’t allowed to drink some of the milk? 8And this isn’t merely human opinion. Doesn’t God’s law say the same thing? 9For the law of Moses says, “Do not keep an ox from eating as it treads out the grain.”Do you suppose God was thinking only about oxen when he said this? 10Wasn’t he also speaking to us? Of course he was. Just as farm workers who plow fields and thresh the grain expect a share of the harvest, Christian workers should be paid by those they serve.

Now, unless I'm not reading this right, All Christian workers are due a subsidy or payment for the time spent out in Christian service.

Now since we cannot expect the person on whose door we knock, or used to knock on, to pay us a wage for our service, this responsibility falls directly in the laps of the boys from Brooklyn, the all mighty Watchtower Society. Since they have taken on the mantle of being "God's only mouthpiece" and have "seated themselves in the seat of Moses" then according to the Scriptures, (my lose interpretation, WT style), THEY OWE ME MONEY FOR ALL THE HOURS I SPENT OUT IN FIELD SERVICE!!! Plus, they owe me money for all that informal witnessing, not that I did a lot of that!

So, considering the Bibles view that Christian workers ought to be paid for their service, and considering the MANY loooong hours that alot of people have put in in field service, (remember, all time has been recorded), I put the question to you dear posters and viewers,

"HOW MUCH MONEY DOES THE WATCHTOWER BIBLE AND TRACT SOCIETY OWE YOU!?"

CornerStone

16

an old man named Carl

by teejay in

jw
friends

carl was a quiet man.

he didn't talk much.

he would always greet you with a big smile and a firm handshake.

CornerStone

Hello Teejay,

A very warm and uplifting story. The kind of story that gives hope in a cruel world.

CornerStone

40

No More Harboring Private Ideas!

by RationalWitness in

jw
friends

just finished reading the august 1, 2001 watchtower.

the second study article is entitled how to make your advancement manifest.

well, after quoting ephesians 4:11-14, heres what paragraphs 8 and 9 advise: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.

CornerStone

BIG PUSH, BIG PUSH, BIG PUSH!!!

The org is doing EXACTLY what any high control group does when faced with the sustained loss of many of it's members, it's putting the SQUEEEEEEZ on them harder. This latest "New Light", (barf!), is just another example of that.

Of course, as most reasoned people know, the harder you hold onto a handfull of sand, the more poores out between your fingers.

I had planned on using this excerpt from the wretchtower as a defense against possible charges of apostacy:

9 We now come to the matter of being loyal to Jehovah's visible organization. Certainly, we owe loyalty to it, including "the faithful and discreet slave," through which the Christian congregation is fed spiritually. (Matthew 24:45-47) Suppose that something appears in Watch Tower publications that we do not understand or agree with at the moment. What will we do? Take offense and leave the organization? That is what some did when The Watch Tower, many years ago, applied the new covenant to the Millennium. Others took offense at what The Watchtower once said on the issue of neutrality. If those who stumbled over these matters had been loyal to the organization and to their brothers, they would have waited on Jehovah to clarify these matters, which he did in his due time. Thus, loyalty includes waiting patiently until further understanding is published by the faithful and discreet slave.

watchtower 3/15/96

The same old tired EXCUSE of "waiting on Jehovah" that the org masters use on their adhearents I was going to use on them. "Well brothers, I'm just waiting on Jehovah."

Now, it seems, ANY DOUBTS about the orgs belief system can be grounds for more serious punishment.

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. Rather, 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.

wretchtower 8/1/01

This is just the type of garbage that will give an "attitude adjustment" to any who have sincere questions about ANY doctrine or social issues the Borg have an opinnon on. Now, when there is doubt or concern about ANY issue, the elder drones can whip out this latest "gem" o knowledge and brow beat the poor sap by saying, "See here, it says MATURE Christians are not to "harbor private ideas when it comes to Bible understanding." SO STOP ( WHAP! ) THINKING ABOUT THINGS ( SLAP! ) THE SOCIETY HAS ALREADY ( BEAT! ) THOUGHT ABOUT FOR YOU! ( HIT!! HIT!! HIT!! )

This "new light" makes it sooo much easier for elder drones to follow the letter of the law. Doubt and indecision = immaturity and possible DANGER to the congregation. Corrective action = d'fing. Case closed. Simple as pie.

Ofcourse, it will be interesting to see, IMHO, the backlash that this type of Orwellean control will have on the "flock" and on the rest of the world who will pay attention to org issues.

CornerStone

21

"AND AS FOR YOU STUPID ONES..."

by You Know in

jw
friends

"as for you stupid ones, when will you have any insight?

" is a question jehovah asks of you.

the question is part of the 94th psalm, and is directed toward those who imagine that jehovah doesn't see or understand what is happening.

CornerStone

Hello You Know,

I have never replied to one of your post before although I usually read them. You stated in your last paragraph:

"Our faith in God's love and our trust in his word keeps us from being swayed by this or that."

I agree. As a professed Christian I believe the Apostles assurances in Romans where he states:

31What can we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? 32Since God did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t God, who gave us Christ, also give us everything else?
33Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? Will God? No! He is the one who has given us right standing with himself. 34Who then will condemn us? Will Christ Jesus? No, for he is the one who died for us and was raised to life for us and is sitting at the place of highest honor next to God, pleading for us.
35Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or are hungry or cold or in danger or threatened with death? 36(Even the Scriptures say, “For your sake we are killed every day; we are being slaughtered like sheep.”) 37No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.
38And I am convinced that nothing can ever separate us from his love. Death can’t, and life can’t. The angels can’t, and the demons can’t. Our fears for today, our worries about tomorrow, and even the powers of hell can’t keep God’s love away. 39Whether we are high above the sky or in the deepest ocean, nothing in all creation will ever be able to separate us from the love of God that is revealed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Romans 8:31-39 NLT

Your second statement in the last paragraph stated:

"Meanwhile, God patiently allows for the apostates to finish their work of digging their own grave, so-to-speak, so that when God acts to correct us, he will at the same time humiliate our accusers."

In general, I also agree. My question to you, however, has to do with
most of your third paragraph where you catagorize posters on this board as "apostate accusers" who are constantly fault finding with the WTS and wickedly trying to steal "some poor souls faith."

In judging, accusing, and condemning others on this board of such wickedness, are you not yourself doing the exact same thing Jesus and the Apostles warned Christians NOT to do?

I know Christians are to expose wrongdoing WITHIN the Christian congregation but I do not understand how you have a scriptual justification to condemn, accuse, judge, and generally point the finger at those you do not believe are part of the Christian congregation. I ask this in relation to a few scriptures I looked up that delt with Christian conduct, please examine:

JUDGING:

15You judge me with all your human limitations, but I am not judging anyone.

John 8:15 NLT

47If anyone hears me and doesn’t obey me, I am not his judge—for I have come to save the world and not to judge it.

John 12:47 NLT

12It isn’t my responsibility to judge outsiders, but it certainly is your job to judge those inside the church who are sinning in these ways.

1 Corinthians 5:12 NLT

11Don’t speak evil against each other, my dear brothers and sisters.£ If you criticize each other and condemn each other, then you are criticizing and condemning God’s law. But you are not a judge who can decide whether the law is right or wrong. Your job is to obey it. 12God alone, who made the law, can rightly judge among us. He alone has the power to save or to destroy. So what right do you have to condemn your neighbor?

James 4:11-12 NLT

9Don’t grumble about each other, my brothers and sisters, or God will judge you. For look! The great Judge is coming. He is standing at the door!

James 5:9

CONDEMNING:

17God did not send his Son into the world to condemn it, but to save it.

John 3:17 NLT

10So why do you condemn another Christian? Why do you look down on another Christian? Remember, each of us will stand personally before the judgment seat of God. 11For the Scriptures say,
“‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord,
‘every knee will bow to me
and every tongue will confess allegiance to God.’”
12Yes, each of us will have to give a personal account to God. 13So don’t condemn each other anymore. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not put an obstacle in another Christian’s path.

Romans 14:10-13 NLT

22You may have the faith to believe that there is nothing wrong with what you are doing, but keep it between yourself and God. Blessed are those who do not condemn themselves by doing something they know is all right. 23But if people have doubts about whether they should eat something, they shouldn’t eat it. They would be condemned for not acting in faith before God. If you do anything you believe is not right, you are sinning.

Romans 14:22-23 NLT

16So don’t let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new-moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. 17For these rules were only shadows of the real thing, Christ himself. 18Don’t let anyone condemn you by insisting on self-denial. And don’t let anyone say you must worship angels, even though they say they have had visions about this. These people claim to be so humble, but their sinful minds have made them proud.

Colossians 2:16-18 NLT

19It is by our actions that we know we are living in the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before the Lord, 20even if our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything.

1 John 3:19-20 NLT

ACCUSING:

9But even Michael, one of the mightiest of the angels, did not dare accuse Satan of blasphemy, but simply said, “The Lord rebuke you.” (This took place when Michael was arguing with Satan about Moses’ body.)

Jude 1:9 NLT

These scriptual references of how Jesus and the apostles wanted Christians to behave with regards to judging and condemning others has always left me with the impression that fellow believers ought to be mildtempered and self controlled. That, ofcourse, does not mean we should not have opinnions but our words should be "seasoned with salt", somthing desireable.

I apologise for the longwindedness of this post and I hope I have not taken any scriptures out of context. I also apologise if you have taken any offense at my asking you this question or on any other matter. I have NO axe to grind with you. I look foward to your reply.

CornerStone