cyberguy

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Posts by cyberguy

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  19

  WTS quietly discarding end-times signs?

  by ozziepost in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  back in 1995 a major change took place in the witnesses' 'understanding' of the generation that was foretold to see the end of the current 'system of things'.. no longer was it to be a literal generation that would see both the beginning of times of distress in 1914 and the culmination at armageddon.

  instead the wts claimed 'new light' in interpreting the generation as applying to whichever generation of people were alive to see the final end.. also in 1995 another change took place that did not receive the same attention and may have remained unnoticed by the rank and file witnesses.

  repeating a point already made in a watchtower issue of 1993, a new textbook to be used in the proselytising work (the knowledge book) was released.

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  cyberguy

  Good post, Ozzie!

  I'd seen this before, but this is a nice review of the change! Thanks!
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  27

  Elders told: Watch for the signs!

  by ozziepost in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  from the audio of the kms posted by kent the other day, it's enlightening to listen to the talk on the inactive.

  watch for the tell-tale signs the elders are to look for in the notes that follow:.

  congregation book study overseers assisting the inactive.

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  cyberguy

  Mention that an important feature of what Jehovah requires of us is to be patient.

  Yea, right! Never mind God's "channel" mislead you about the "generation," it's all your fault now for not being "patient." Notice where they put the blame!

  Refer to 1995 article with the words “the fact remains we are deep in the last days” Could the end be that far off? By mentally putting off the kingdom, we can focus on this system. It can cause us to become discouraged, sick.

  In place of the "generation" teaching we now have the "deep in the last days" teaching which, very curiously, happens to coincide with the "generation" since 1914. Fancy footwork isn't it! The fact is the person became "discouraged" and "sick" because of having misguided expectations in the first place. Surely they don't expect that someone would ever allow himself or herself to fall into the same trap again! This "deep in the last days" teaching also highlights the chief motivation behind the preaching work, FEAR of being killed at the great-T, and GUILT because a person's not doing enough.
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  8

  Society's control over people's lives

  by Mollie in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i've been reading all the posts here and other websites, and i have been trying to figure out why the society/elders want control of people's lives.

  they don't ask for contributions at the kingdom hall, and as a general rule, jw's aren't wealthy people, so what do you all think is the motivating factor behind the control issue?

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  cyberguy

  The 3-P's have provided the impetus to control since the dawning of man: Power, Position and Prestige! It often works better than money!
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  13

  Letter to all Branches------A Fake?

  by miner in

  1. watchtower
  2. scandals

  many of you are no doubt familiar with the nov.1, 2001 "letter to all branches" putting forth the the library card defense.

  (the letter can be seen at: ) i gave a copy of the letter to a jehovah's witness friend of mine who took it to one of his elders.

  the elder said the letter is a fake because: (1) it is not written on official wt letterhead and (2) watchtower does not send such correspondence via the (eeeevil) internet.

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  cyberguy

  Miner:

  I sent a copy of this letter to a friend of mine who eventually got it into the hands of someone in the Service Department (someone @ the top), along with a ton of other information regarding the UN. He received a letter about 3 weeks later that was a facsimile of the wording found in this document. He also talked to the brother that sent the reply letter (who recently conducted the Elder's School in Florida), and there was nothing said against the authenticity of this branch letter.

  Furthermore, almost all correspondence to branch offices is sent via email. Your friend doesn't know what he's talking about!
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  25

  Is Dan Sydlik in his death bed?

  by cyberguy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i recently heard a rumor that dan sydlik is very sick, near death.

  does anyone have any more information about this?

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  cyberguy

  I recently heard a rumor that Dan Sydlik is very sick, near death. Does anyone have any more information about this?
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  10

  What an elder said the other day ...LOL

  by biblexaminer in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the other day, i was walking out of the kh with elder x, and elder x said ..."did you hear about this jehovah's witness website they got... they should shut it down".

  i acted dumb to it and chuckled.

  i said "really...ah yeah... i think i did hear somthing about that...".

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  cyberguy

  This is too funny!
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  20

  Need advice on getting DA'd

  by MrMoe in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  i spoke with my mom this weekend.

  i told her i was going to da myself.

  i no longer wish to be a jw or have any dealings or ties.

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  cyberguy

  Hi MrMoe!

  Well, I can understand how upset you must be, because you've tried to reason with your parents, but with little success. However, if you DA yourself, you'll drastically limit any future discussions with your parents. Recall the scripture "love hopes all things?" If you want to help your parents you'll need to maintain the line of communication open. Also, I wouldn't worry about the government stepping in and going after you. After 2-3 years, they throw out your publisher record cards (there was a letter from the Society regarding this, but I can't remember if it's 2 or 3 years). Hang in there MrMoe!
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  27

  Whats the strangest watchtower/awake article ever

  by sleepy in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  whats the strangest watchtower/awake or other publication article you,ve ever seen?.

  i know theres some very strange old articles , but a few years ago there was one in the awake if i remmember right which had a picture of two brothers holding hands on the ministrty.. one was african the other white.. apparently it was common for men to hold hands in this country and was perectly normal for hetrosexual men to do.. a brother who was a missionary recounted how he was shocked when out with a local brother for the first time on the ministry and the brother took his hand in his.. a lot of people though the article was very odd and didn't like it.

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  cyberguy

  I remember an old masturbation article in Awake that said that doing it can make you gay! It also stated that a certain percentage of young men (something like 10%) think about doing it with their mother (that is really sick)! Now honestly, is there anyone on this board that can lead credence to either of these claims?
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  62

  Is Watchtower Literature inspired?

  by YoYoMama in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the question.

  is all watchtower articles, books, etc.

  inspired by god as the bible was?

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  cyberguy

  YoYoMama, you said:

  Similarly, the Faithful and Discreet Slave represents Jehovah here on earth. Their publications are based on the Bible, so it's as if Jehovah were saying it.

  Tell me, YoYoMama, how many claiming to be of the FDS (Faithful and Discreet Slave class) actually contribute to the writing of Watchtower publications? Do you know? Or how about this: Do you know of anyone that claims to be of the FDS, outside of Bethel, who supplies "spiritual food" to the writing department "at the proper time?" Do you know of anyone claiming to be of the FDS, outside of Bethel, that has ever been called on the phone, let's say, to give the latest direction the organization should take, or to shed the latest "light" on some Bible passage or important topic? Of course, sisters would of necessity have to be consulted to give spiritual direction and supply "spiritual food at the proper time," since the majority of partakers I've ever seen have been sisters; the Society's interpretation of the parable in Mathew 24:45 makes no gender distinction. So how many sisters claiming to be of the FDS, either inside or outside of Bethel, contribute to the "spiritual food at the proper time?"

  Now here's a very basic question: If the "faithful slave" was really the centerpiece of true Christianity in the first century, outside of the parable itself, why didn't Christian writers ever use that expression? Certainly, if the "faithful slave" was "giving food at the proper time" since the beginning of Christian Congregation (or Church), surely we would expect to see that expression throughout Christian Greek Scriptures, or at least even once! Surely that expression would be just as ubiquitous in the Bible as it is in the Society's publications today, if it were a Bible teaching!

  Back in '78, Gene Smalley (spelling?), who headed-up Bethel's Research Department (part of Writing Department), raised an interesting question in my Entrance School Class in Brooklyn Bethel. "Do anointed ones have any more of God's spirit to understand the Bible than those not making that claim?" he asked. After allowing different ones in the class to give their answers, he briefly replied "no."

  Surprisingly, his chief argument was that NONE of the 20-22 people then working in research, claimed to be of the FDS! Maxwell Friend, who claimed to be "anointed," however had been assigned as someone to bounce ideas off from, but since he was in poor health, wasn't really that supportive, according to Gene. He also said that some others, like Fred Franz, might be consulted, but only infrequently, and weren't really assigned to his department (Fred was actually in a "department" all his own and could do, write, or say anything he wanted!).

  Gene also reviewed several scriptures supporting the notion that anyone can ask for God's spirit to understand his word. (Now don't let me give anyone the wrong idea here! Gene's was and still is a "company man," and wouldn't hesitate to climb in bed with the Devil if it became necessary to maintain the status quo.) I doubt that very little has changed regarding this situation in the Research Department!

  That Entrance-School lesson was a turning point in my life, because for the first time I came to suspect something really fishy was going on at Bethel and with the Organization. I really started to have serious doubts about the FDS doctrine, whether it was correct or a bunch-of-crap!

  Since then, I've concluded that the FDS doctrine is a terrible deception, more fictitious than "Santa Claus," misleading and enslaving people into believing lies and half-truths!
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  62

  Is Watchtower Literature inspired?

  by YoYoMama in

  1. jw
  2. friends

  the question.

  is all watchtower articles, books, etc.

  inspired by god as the bible was?

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  cyberguy

  We would do best to follow the Bible's clear advice about listening to anyone claiming to represent God or Christ --

  Beloved ones, do not believe every inspired expression, but test the inspired expressions to see whether they originate with God, because many false prophets have gone forth into the world. -- 1 John 4:1

  Now the latter were more noble-minded than those in Thes·sa·lo·ni'ca, for they received the word with the greatest eagerness of mind, carefully examining the Scriptures daily as to whether these things were so. -- Acts 17:11

  And many false prophets will arise and mislead many. -- Matt. 24:11

  For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will give great signs and wonders so as to mislead, if possible, even the chosen ones. -- Matt. 24:24

  So Jesus started to say to them: "Look out that nobody misleads YOU." --Mark 13:6