Posts by Justitia Themis

It also creates siege mentality. They are telling people that somehow the onus is upon them to protect themselves from a super-intelligent creature, who has been study their behavior for thousands of years, and who is trying to "get" them every minute of every day. Totallitarian regimes and cults use this "siege mentality" to create false unity.

The point of the poem which stretches from Psalm 90 through Psalm 91 is the Jehovah DELIVERS persons from the birdcatcher. The bird doesn't outsmart the birdcatcher! It gets saved from the birdcatcher!

52

Comments You Won't Hear at the 11-25-07 WT Study (w07 10/1, pp.26-30)

by minimus in

deliverance from the traps of the birdcatcher.

"[jehovah] himself will deliver you from the trap of the birdcatcher.

the trap of personal differences.

Justitia Themis

Who is this enemy? Since the issue of June 1, 1883, this magazine has identified him as none other than Satan the Devil.

Did they ever think the birdcatcher was someone OTHER than Satan? Christendom has know the birdcatcher's identity all along!

Here is a copy of Spurgeon's sermon delivered March 29, 1857:

http://www.theoblogy.com/spurgeon/2005/09/18/the-snare-of-the-fowler/#more-899

15

Tried to get my mom to watch the NBC segment last night...

by Elyse867 in

jw
friends

she wouldn't watch it... i told her all about it, and she of course started defending it before i was even finished.

then we got into a long discussion, which was pretty one-sided, her telling me why the wts has the 'truth'.

i told her all my concerns, and tried asking the 'if the wts is god's one and only 'channel' to earth, why all the changes in doctrine' question, and she of course gave me the 'light gets brighter' bs answer.

Justitia Themis

why all the changes in doctrine' question, and she of course gave me the 'light gets brighter' BS answer. I tried reasoning with her... I've

The "light gets brighter" is always the expected response, and it is hard to refute because of its emotional appeal. Instead, try commenting that you don't mind the light getting brighter, in fact, you welcome it.

Explain that what you have an issue with is an organization that is dishonest about its past and misrepresents its history to make it look like it never made those mistakes. Jehovah is a God of truth and transparency. Jehovah doesn't approve of people who are not honest. Making a mistake isn't wrong; lying about it is.

They have a much more difficult time refuting concepts when you use JW-speak.

13

Neti Pot??

by noni1974 in

jw
friends

has anyone ever used one before?

?i just got one because i've been having alot of trouble with my nose being very dry and the back of my throat felt sore from it.i heard about them from tv.the oprah show i think.i also was had a sinus headache today.. i'll tell ya it was a strange feeling when i was doing it.i felt kinda like i was almost drowning but i could still breath through my mouth.my nose feels better it's not dry any more and my sore throat is gone and my head still hurts a little but not as bad.i think i'll try using it again later today after i wake up to go to work tonight..

Justitia Themis

I had chronic sinus infections until I had surgery. Nasal lavage is very helpful in avoiding infections.

40

JWs just not important in this world no matter what they/we want to believe

by restrangled in

jw
friends

for most of us raised in the "truth" and i hate to use that term, we were brought up/and or taught to believe we were very important in this world.

the message being preached, god's chosen people, yadda yadda.. so as we leave this religion, the things we can point to as being news worthy, those breaking the law in the ranks, coverups etc....its really small potatoes in the world at large, although to this group it is huge.. i believe that part of the letting go of the witness mentality is recognizing that in the end its all just a small cult that captured your soul, or you were born in and had no choice.

it sucks bigtime, its larger than life for most of us, but in the bigger picture of life its a very small blip.. there is no question this religion has ruined/destroyed many lives, but to the world at large it isn't big enough to make a differnece to those not involved.. in reality, to use a horrible analolgy.....the jw's are just a pimple on the butt of the world.. .

Justitia Themis

I totally agree Restrangled. Two weekends ago, my husband and I were in service with an elder and his wife. The text for that Saturday was especially disturbing; it was on the flood and the "symbolic ark" (the congregation.) There were many comments from brothers and sisters stating that 'if you're not in the ark, your going to die....there was only one ark in Noah's time...yada yada yada. Then someone mentioned that Jehovah has a 'great crowd' already.

In the car, the elder continued that line of conversation and spoke about our 'growth' and 'how large an organization we are.' I told him I saw a statistic from UNICEF that there are over 70 million child slave-workers in INDIA ALONE. I told him to think about that in comparison with our almost 7 million JWs WORLDWIDE. Then I commented that it was too bad those children are going to die because they can't pull themselves onto that ark...

He had no response...

39

The MIstake Witnesses Will Make On March 10, 2008

by t33ap80c in

jw
friends

the mistake jehovahs witnesses .

are going to make .

on sunday, march 10, 2008. .

Justitia Themis

***

rechap.25p.164par.11RevivingtheTwoWitnesses***

Sackcloth was associated with the mournful messages of doom or grief that God’s prophets had to proclaim. (Isaiah 3:8, 24-26; Jeremiah 48:37; 49:3) The wearing of sackcloth could indicate humility or repentance in view of divine warning. (Jonah 3:5) The sackcloth worn by the two witnesses appears to indicate their humble endurance in announcing Jehovah’s judgments. They were witnesses proclaiming his day of vengeance that would bring mourning also to the nations.—Deuteronomy 32:41-43.

Most active JWs will dismiss the statement regarding accuracy on page 164 of the Revelation book, because the above quote is what is referred to by "accurate." Most will say simply that 'they had some specifics wrong, but they were the only group preaching Jehovah's day of vengance.' I suspect it might be good to present to them historical information on how many groups were expecting 'Jehovah's day of vengance.'

However, I have had interesting responses at the book study when I mention that we were virtually indistinguishable from Christendom when Jesus appointed the slave. Once, I outlined that we prayed to Jesus, worshipped the cross, celebrated all holidays and were involved politically. After my comment, an elder's wife whispered to her husband, "It that right!"

I'm sure they had quite a conversation afterwards.

22

Raymond Franz What Religion?

by just4u in

jw
friends

what religion does raymond franz support?.

Justitia Themis

I rfecieved a letter from him; he doesn't support any specific religion. He discusses bible topics with a small group, and tries to be a good Christian. He doesn't frequent discussion boards, because he feels they are too angry and negative.

9

Yearbooks= Does Bethel "worship" new Watchtower buildings and branches?

by Witness 007 in

the yearbook is always beaming with pictures, descriptions, and glowing testamony of the new buildings the watchtower purchased, renovated or built.

is this in fact "building worship"?

i mean do the poor 3 million witnesses who meet in shacks on dirt floors, really care or understand these pictures, from their rich western society brothers?

Justitia Themis

Interesting you mention this. We had a Bethel speaker for our Memorial this year. Rather than sing during the opening song, he kept his head bowed and eyes closed in deep, deep prayer..sitting in the second row from the front so EVERYONE could see him. (insert eye roll here)

During his talk, he spoke of what motivated him to "believe" that we are God's organization and implanted in him the desire to go to Bethel. You are not going to believe what he said...I kid you not...he said, "I looked at all our buildings and thought, "LOOK HOW RICH WE ARE!"

AFTER I recovered from the shock, I whispered to the sister next to me, "Good thing he didn't visit the Vatican first! They are "richer" than we are, so I guess he would have become a priest!"

17

Up to what age have your pets lived ?

by JH in

jw
friends

my cat is 14.5 years old.

she is still doing well.

i already had a bird that lived 12 or 13 years.. .

Justitia Themis

Our dog was over 15 years old when we put him to sleep in June 2007.

Justitia